Tale Of Two Beasts
by goofnutgav
Summary: Hard to believe that my life had changed from being a rookie cop fighting for survival to a shape-shifter that is currently centuries old and is the adopted father of the Big Bad Wolf. This is my story of what happened next years after the murder case of Faith and Lily.
1. Chapter 1

The Woodland Luxury Apartments, Bullfinch Street, Upper West Side Manhattan, America, 2002.

My alarm clock rang out, making me groan as I shut it off. I got off the bed to start doing my mandatory push ups and sit ups. Once I was done, I did the rest of my morning routine and conjured my Deputy shirt, blue jeans, duty belt, and work boots on me as I looked into the bathroom mirror. I still looked the pretty much the same years after the murder case of Faith and Lily, but I had added a few items to my duty belt over the years. Added to my duty belt was a holstered X26 Taser gun with cartridges in small pouches next to the holster, and I had a small can of pepper spray in a pouch. Once I was satisfied with checking my reflection for anything out of place, I left the apartment. As I made my way to the Sheriff's office, I greeted other Fables passing by me. When I reached the office, I went inside, and saw Bigby working at his desk.

"Morning Son," I greeted as I took a seat at my desk and started working.

"Morning Dad," Bigby mumbled, distracted by his work.

I flipped through the paperwork on my desk, reports of minor incidents of complaints and assaults. I was signing off on them, working my way through the pile when someone burst into the office. I looked up to see that it was Jack, who appeared to be in a state of shock.

"Bigby, Nate!" Jack gasped out, leaning on Bigby's desk.

"You look out of breath Jack. Been climbing beanstalks again?" Bigby questioned humorously while Jack was panting heavily.

"...*huff*...*huff*...no...blown down any piggies homes lately?" Jack retorted as he was catching his breath.

"We're a bit busy Jack. Did you run all the way over here just to be a smartass, or is there something else you need?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"There was...there is...a terrible thing...a crime...a terrible thing happened!" Jack babbled hysterically.

"Whoa! Shit, Jack! Calm down and tell us what happened," Bigby placated.

Jack took a few deep breaths and explained, "Okay, I was heading to Rose's apartment when I caught the smell of blood. At the time, I figured some Mundy must've had an accident-it happens. But when I approached the door, I noticed that it was slightly open and what I saw... Oh fuck... the apartment was trashed, there was so much blood everywhere, and Rose was nowhere to be seen!"

"Okay, did you walk into the apartment?" Bigby asked.

"No! When I saw all the blood, I got the fuck out of there and headed here! Oh Jesus, Rose! I need to find her!" Jack exclaimed in complete panic.

"Calm down Jack, Sheriff Wolf and I will figure this out. But for now, go over to the apartment and make sure that nobody disturbs the crime scene, understand?" I instructed.

"Oh...don't worry Deputy, I don't plan on doing anything else. Oh fuck...Rose..." Jack trailed off and sat down crying.

Bigby and I looked at each other, knowing that Snow needed to know about this.

 _"Ah shit, Snow is not going to be happy,"_ I thought uneasily.

Bigby and I got up from our desks and left the office to see Boy Blue in the hallway waving goodbye to Beauty and Beast as they headed in the direction of their apartment.

"Goodbye Miss Beauty, Mr. Beast. Take care now!" Blue called out to them while he was waving.

"Boy Blue, is her royal nibs in?" Bigby asked while he was dragging on his smoke.

"Yes, but she is in a foul mood," Blue explained, which didn't make me feel any better.

"Shit. Well, we're about to make it worse," I grumbled as the three of us entered the office to see Snow sitting at her desk, looking none too happy.

"Mr. Wolf, Mr. Pierce, what do you two need? I'm busy right now," Snow questioned.

"Snow, you need to prepare yourself for some bad news," Bigby stated hesitantly.

"Don't be so dramatic, I already know. My ex is back in town. Apparently, he managed to finally wear out his welcome among even the most inbred elements of European Royalty," Snow grumbled bitterly.

"Wait, Prince Charming? That pompous prick is back in town? You know what, forget about that asshole, Charming isn't the reason why we're here. It's about your sister, Rose Red," I clarified.

"This may be a surprise to you Mr. Pierce, but I'm not entirely an idiot. I actually know my sister's name. So, what's she done this time?" Snow asked in irritation.

"We received a report, unconfirmed mind you, that she's gone missing. She's possibly the victim of violence," Bigby said, and Snow looked up at us in horror.

"What?! How?!" Snow questioned in shock.

"Her boyfriend was just here to report that he'd found her apartment trashed this morning," I clarified, and Snow let out a breath of relief.

"Oh, is that all? You two had me scared for a minute, but my sister is the last of the party fiends. She's the original wild child. From what I hear, her apartment gets trashed with alarming regularity," Snow explained.

"We're afraid that this time, it's serious. We understand there's blood, lots of it. My Deputy and I are going over there now to investigate, but we thought you'd want to know right away," Bigby stated.

"Damn right I want to know! I'm coming with you," Snow declared as she stood up and grabbed her purse.

"Um, Snow, no offense, but we don't think that's a good idea. Not until the Sheriff and I've got a first-hand look at the situation," I refused, and Bigby nodded in agreement.

"I'm not much interested in what either of you thinks is and isn't a good idea. She's my sister, and I'm your Boss," Snow argued stubbornly.

"Look, Snow, we understand that you're worried about your sister and we respect that, but we can't afford to let a conflict of interest interfere with our ability to do our jobs. We only told you this as a courtesy, but the last thing my Deputy and I need is you trampling through a potential crime scene and accidentally destroying evidence," Bigby reasoned.

"Then we seem to be at an impasse. I suggest a compromise, and the compromise is this: I'm coming with you two, and if neither of you likes it, clean out your office and get the hell out of the building," Snow said firmly.

"Goddammit...okay, fine, you can come with us, but only to stay outside of Rose's apartment while we examine the place. Does that sound fair?" I propositioned.

"Yes Deputy," Snow agreed, and the three of us headed back to our office briefly so that Bigby could grab his trench coat and put it on. I grabbed my brown leather jacket that had a badge, name tag, and shoulder patches on it, and I put it on before we headed out to the lobby. I nodded at Trusty John the doorman as Bigby, Snow, and I left the building and headed to my car, which was a 2001 Crown Victoria. Entering the car and putting on our seatbelts, I drove us to Rose's apartment as Bigby lit up a smoke and started dragging on it.

"So, why didn't Jack stick around after he reported the crime?" Snow asked in confusion.

"We sent him ahead to guard the crime scene. My Deputy and I didn't want anyone fucking it up before we got a chance to take a look at it," Bigby explained, causing Snow to look at him like he had two heads.

"You two had Jack guard the crime scene? Isn't that like asking the fox to guard the hen house?" Snow questioned skeptically.

"He's the only one we can trust to keep the scene secure since he was the one who discovered it. If Jack wanted to alter the evidence, he already did it before he came in to report the crime. And if that's the case, he wouldn't want anyone else coming along to further alter his alterations," I stated as we pulled up in front of Rose's apartment building and got out of the car.

"I still don't trust him. Honestly, I really don't understand what Rose sees in him," Snow mumbled in slight irritation.

"My Deputy and I always got the impression that your open disapproval of Jack was the thing that Rose found most attractive in him," Bigby remarked as we walked up the front steps and entered the building.

"True enough, I suppose...Rose and I have drifted apart over the centuries," Snow agreed while we started to walk up the stairs that led to Rose's apartment floor.

"Uh, we wouldn't characterize it as "drifting". Rose seems to have dedicated her life to doing whatever will cause you the most pain and embarrassment," I commented wryly.

"Why Mr. Pierce, getting a bit nosy, aren't you?" Snow retorted playfully.

"Well Snow, we can't help but notice things. I believe it's why you and Mayor Cole hired us as Fabletown's Sheriff and Deputy," I remarked with a wolfish grin, my shadow shifting into a wolf and back as we approached the apartment, and saw Jack sitting on the floor next to the door.

"There you two are," Jack said when he saw us approaching.

"Everything just the way you left it, Jack?" Bigby asked.

"Haven't gone back in yet. I didn't want to see it a second time, it's horrible. You'll see," Jack stated with an uncomfortable expression on his face while he stood up.

"Just get the door open," Snow said, looking just as uncomfortable.

Jack complied by opening the door and what I saw made my eyes widen in shock. The apartment looked like either Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers went to town on the place and the owner of the apartment. The furniture was toppled over, torn, and broken, but that wasn't what shocked me. What shocked me was that there was literally blood everywhere that was covering the furniture, the walls, and the floor. What caught my attention was the words 'No more happily ever after' were written on the wall in blood.

"Oh God, Rose!" Snow exclaimed in distress.

"Jesus Christ...that's a fuck ton of blood," I mumbled in horror.

"See? It's horrible!" Jack chimed in while Bigby, Snow, and I stared at the scene in disbelief. Then Bigby handed his smoke to Snow.

"Hold this, my Deputy and I are going to need our senses clear. Both of you stay here and do not come in for any reason. If someone comes, close the door and stay out into the hall. This stays strictly among the Fable community, and the Mundy cops are not to be notified about this," Bigby instructed as we carefully navigated inside the room, and looked at the writing, the unbroken lamp, an ashtray, and the floor.

"What the hell are you two doing?! Why are you looking at the floor?! You should be looking for Rose! Check in the bedroom to see if she's in there!" Snow yelled frantically.

"I already checked, she's not here," Jack explained.

"Both of you please be quiet and let us do our jobs," I said irritably, looking back at Snow and Jack.

"She's my sister!" Snow protested.

"We know that! But you yelling at us is not helping things. If we wanna figure out what happened here, there needs to be absolute quiet, understand?" Bigby said sternly.

"Fine...I get the message. I'll keep quiet, for now," Snow grumbled, and Bigby and I kept looking for anything that might give us a lead on what happened here.

Eventually, I found myself in the kitchen when I noticed something suspicious about the fridge.

 _"What the hell?"_ I thought in confusion when I saw a few holes that were on the freezer door and the side of the fridge.

Looking in a drawer that was next to me, I spotted a lock with hinges, and I put the hinges on the freezer door to see that it was a match.

"Well, I'll be damned. Why the hell would Rose put a lock on the freezer door?" I mumbled as Bigby entered the kitchen.

"What did you find, Deputy?" Bigby asked me.

"Check this out, Rose had a lock on her freezer door. Did you find anything?" I inquired.

"Rose's stereo was completely untouched. No blood was on it at all," Bigby informed me.

"Okay, if Rose was killed in the living room, there would've been blood spatter on the stereo as well. The fact that there isn't is pretty suspicious," I stated as we started eyeing Jack suspiciously.

"That's right, which is why we need to have a little talk with Jack since he was the one who "discovered" the scene," Bigby stated, and I nodded in agreement.

Bigby and I carefully walked out of the apartment, staring at Jack, who started looking nervous.

"Jack, you're officially under arrest," Bigby stated.

"Are you fucking serious! What for?!" Jack questioned in disbelief.

"For tampering with evidence, and interfering with a criminal investigation. The stereo has no blood on it, and you were the one who discovered the scene. Now, put your hands behind your head and get down on your knees," I stated.

"This is such fucking bullshit! I report a crime and now I'm being arrested?! Fuck you!" Jack exclaimed incredulously as he took a threatening step forward, prompting me to put my hand on my taser.

"Jack! Step back, now!" I warned him sternly.

Jack threw a punch at me and I grabbed his fist, hip tossing him to the ground and spraying him in the face with my pepper spray. Jack choked, coughed, and wheezed harshly as I put his hands behind his back and put handcuffs around his wrists.

"*Gag*...my eyes...*cough*...I can't breathe!" Jack protested as I hauled him to his feet.

"Well, you shouldn't have tried to attack me, that's your own damn fault. Now we can add attempted assault on a police officer to your list of charges," I stated while I patted him down.

"Is he the one?" Snow asked.

"We'll see," Bigby said as we started to head to the stairs.

* * *

(A day later.)

The Woodlands Garden, Woodland Luxury Apartments, Bullfinch Street, Upper West Side Manhattan, New York City, America, 2002.

"I thought I'd find you two here," Snow announced as she walked over to the bench where Bigby and I were sitting.

"We like to come here to think, which is something we do best when left alone," Bigby explained while I stared at the water fountain.

"I won't take up much of your time, but I have a few questions about the state of our investigation. First, did Jack really do it?" Snow asked us.

"Our professional opinion, probably not. Jack's a liar and a professional conman, but he doesn't seem to fit the profile of a killer. We needed an excuse to hold him in custody while we checked out a few leads, so he's safely tucked away for a day or two. And for the record, you're a civilian, so this is our investigation, not yours," I stated.

"So, what actual conclusions did you two come to?" Snow asked us.

"Not many. The blood is your sister's," Bigby informed Snow.

"How can either of you be sure?" Snow questioned.

"You can't fool these noses," I remarked and added, "We can have it lab tested if you like, but there's zero chance that it isn't her blood."

"So she really was the victim of violence?" Snow inquired, looking like she was going to cry.

"It looks that way," Bigby clarified.

"If not Jack, who do you and your Deputy suspect? She partied with the Mundies, do either of you think that one of them might have..." Snow trailed off, taking a tissue out of her purse and getting rid of a tear.

"A Mundy wouldn't have known to leave that particular message on her wall, not unless Rose had revealed her Fable nature to one of them. But, as nonconformist as she is, we don't think that even she would've broken that law. Whoever did this is one of us, a Fable," I theorized.

"Then my money says that Jack did it," Snow stated.

"My Deputy and I always like suspecting Jack, he's been a perpetual pain in our asses since day one of the exiles. But we have no choice other than to go where the evidence leads us. Of course, that won't keep us from questioning him today," Bigby said while he was dragging on his smoke.

"I want to be with you two when you question him," Snow said decisively.

"We're sorry Snow, but you can't get involved. Don't you have a government to run?" I questioned.

"Rose is my sister!" Snow protested.

"We know that, but we can't get you involved. You and your sister have been estranged for centuries, and there was plenty of animosity between you two," Bigby argued.

"Because of that, I'm a suspect?! I didn't kill her!" Snow shouted in disbelief.

"We don't know that dammit! Until we can rule you out, you are just as much a suspect as everyone else. Don't take it personally Snow, we're just doing our jobs. Look, how about we get the interview out of the way so Bigby and can rule you out," I reasoned.

"I can't right now. My ex just called and insisted I meet him for a late breakfast at the Eggman Diner. I'm going over there now," Snow explained and stormed off.

"Hide your wallet first!" Bigby called out as Snow was walking away.

"Dad, are you okay?" Bigby asked in concern when he saw me looking pensive.

"What? Oh, I'm fine, I just realized that the Remembrance Day celebration is only two weeks from now," I stated, recalling our previous lives in the Homelands.

"Oh...that," Bigby grumbled as we stood up and headed to the holding cells.

* * *

"This shouldn't take long, Jack," Bigby reassured while Snow and I stood nearby.

"Take all the time you need. I want to do anything I can to help find out what happened to Rosey, and convince you and Deputy Pierce that I'm not the one who hurt her. I'm so terrified...my God, there was so much blood...too much. I'm afraid she might be-" Jack started to say, but he was cut off.

"Don't that to yourself, Jack. It's never good to start thinking that way yet. Relatively small amounts of blood spread around can go a long way. Until we test it forensically, we can't know for sure how much of Rose Red's blood was spilled in her apartment. The Sheriff and I have already arranged for those tests later. But until then, we should assume she's not likely," I reassured.

"Okay, whatever you say. You and Bigby are the Sheriff and Deputy of Fabletown," Jack agreed reluctantly.

"Okay Jack, let's start with a few simple questions. You've been romantically involved with Rose for how long?" Bigby questioned.

"Almost four years now," Jack replied.

"But not four years straight," I implied.

"Excuse me?" Jack inquired, looking offended.

"Just about a year ago, you and Rose had a very public falling out. There were fights and lots of screaming. Hell, it nearly got to the point where me and my Deputy would've had to intervene. In fact, if I recall correctly, she attended last year's Remembrance Day with someone else. Who was that again?" Bigby questioned thoughtfully.

"Bluebeard, but she only dated him to make me jealous. He's the one you two should question. You know his reputation with women, maybe he got pissed when she left him to come back to me," Jack stated.

"We'll get around to him, but let's finish up with you for now. You own an apartment in the building, right?" I questioned.

"Right," Jack said.

"But you have your own key to Rose's place and you stay over with her most nights?" Bigby inquired.

"Yeah, usually, but not every night," Jack clarified.

"Why not the night before last?" I questioned.

"I'm not sure. I was out late with some friends and I guess I didn't want to wake her, so I crashed at my place," Jack explained.

"That's funny, because Grimble doesn't remember you coming in, late or otherwise," Bigby stated suspiciously.

"Grimble was asleep behind the security desk, like always," Jack said.

"You'd be surprised how much registers with him, even when he's sawing logs. You're always trying to beat the system, Jack. There was the time you tried to steal Numblin's seven league boots to win the New York Marathon," Bigby stated.

"Boston Marathon. At least I tried to do it out of state, to divert attention away from Fabletown. I know how to keep things secret from the Mundies. I don't run with those fanatics who think we should all come out of the closet," Jack reasoned.

"And what about the time you tried to raffle off the map to your remaining magic beans?" I inquired.

"What law did that break? I have a right to make money off my own property," Jack protested.

"Except the map was a fake, and you lost the beans centuries ago. If you ever had them at all," I commented skeptically.

"So I play a good-natured con every now and then, so what? I'm a conman by nature, but I'm not a murderer," Jack reasoned.

"Maybe not lately, but you did go through that remarkably bloody giant killing phase way back when," Bigby remarked.

"All of which happened before the general amnesty, which means it can't be brought up again," Jack stated.

"He's right, you two," Snow agreed.

"Or does that protection only apply to granny gobbling bloodthirsty wolves who don shepherd's clothing to become low-rent cops during the exile?" Jack retorted.

"Watch your fucking mouth, you little shit! You are already treading on thin ice, so fuck you for bringing that crap back up!" I snarled, changing my teeth to razor sharp, and Jack gulped nervously.

"Stop it, you three! You all are acting like this is some private game, but you're avoiding the one question that I need to be answered! Jack, is my sister dead?! Did you kill her?! Did you put her body somewhere?" Snow questioned while tears ran down her cheeks.

"Fuck no! Of course not, I promise!" Jack denied frantically as he held up his cuffed hands.

"So, you don't mind if we take a look inside your apartment?" I asked.

"Sure. Why not, I've got nothing to hide," Jack said.

"Before we leave Jack, I want to ask you one last question. Can you think of anyone who might want to hurt Rose?" Snow asked.

"Bluebeard's the only one who comes to mind, maybe he reverted back to his old ways. You know what he used to do to his wives, right?" Jack inquired.

"That's pre-amnesty Jack, remember? You can't bring that up," Bigby stated as we left the holding cell and shut the large metal door.

"I apologize for losing my composure in there, that wasn't very professional of me," Snow commented sheepishly.

"It's okay, you don't need to apologize to us. Hell, we were expecting it to happen sooner or later," I reassured.

"Before now I just felt...I don't know, numb? Like this wasn't really happening. But Sheriff, Deputy, I'm not a delicate little girl that needs protecting. I can take bad news. If either of you is determined that my sister is dead, I want you two to level with me," Snow said seriously.

"Don't worry. If we find out that Rose is likely, you will be the first to know, we promise. But so far, that isn't the case," Bigby stated as we headed up the stairs.

* * *

Edward Bear's Candies, Upper West Side Manhattan, New York City, 2002.

"Feel better now?" Bigby asked as the cashier handed Snow a bag of donuts.

"Six forty-five, Miss White," the cashier stated and Snow paid the woman.

"Not better, but back under control at least. Indulging in my one vice here helps. Chocolate cures all problems," Snow explained as we left the building and headed back to the Woodland.

"Listen Snow. If this is too much for you, then why don't you let us handle things from now on?" I offered in concern.

"I'm fine, I've had my one loss of composure. Neither of you two will have to worry about any further emotional outbursts from me," Snow assured.

"Don't blame yourself so much Snow, it's only natural to break down like that when things get a bit too overwhelming. If you hadn't of broken down like that, then that's when we know something is wrong," Bigby said as we approached the Woodland.

"Who do we see next?" Snow inquired, wanting to change the subject.

"We're gonna take Jack's advice and go see Bluebeard. He still lives in the building, right?" I asked.

"Since it was built. Do either of you want one of these?" Snow offered as she held out a donut.

"No thanks, I don't eat sweets. Thanks for the offer though," Bigby replied as I was shaking my head, and we entered the building.

"We heard Bluebeard was well off. Well, let's see if his royal highness is in," I remarked as we made it to the fourth floor and I knocked on the door to Bluebeard's apartment, causing Hobbes to open the door and look at us.

 **"Yes?"** Hobbes inquired.

"We called ahead, your Boss is waiting," Snow said.

 **"Very well, come in. Follow me, please,"** Hobbes said as we followed him inside.

"I still can't get over the fact that Bluebeard managed to bring his castle and his riches with him from the Homelands. My Deputy and I are still wondering how he managed to pull it off," Bigby wondered as he was looking around.

"He was one of the fortunate few to get out of the Homelands with his riches," Snow explained.

"And his whole fucking castle, too," I commented.

"Rumor has it that he ran his own underground railroad and smuggled other Fables out of the Homelands, even after the Adversary's armies had moved in. But he charged a hefty price for his services," Snow told us.

"So, many of our fellow exiles' "lost riches" fell into his hands rather than the Adversary's?" Bigby wondered.

"So I was told, but we'll never know for sure because that was a pre-amnesty business. He had to pay the wizardly types big to fit an entire castle inside a small apartment. They don't work cheap," Snow remarked as Hobbes led us to Bluebeard's office and showed us in.

 **"Your guests, sir,"** Hobbes informed Bluebeard, who was sitting at his desk.

"Thank you, Hobbes, you may go," Bluebeard dismissed, and the goblin shut the doors.

"Thank you for agreeing to see us, Mr. Bluebeard, we won't take up much of your time," Snow said politely.

"Not to worry. Sit down, make yourselves at home. I assume you're here to collect my annual contribution towards the support of our government? I usually give it directly to King Cole at the Remembrance Day gathering, but if you need it early this year-" Bluebeard said and got cut off by Bigby, who took out pictures of the crime scene.

"That's not why we're here. Take a look at these photos. They were taken in Rose Red's apartment last night, and all that blood is hers," I stated grimly as Bigby put the pictures down and Bluebeard looked at them in shock.

"Oh God," Bluebeard said softly in horror.

"All we need to know is why you killed her," Bigby accused, causing Bluebeard and Snow to look at him in disbelief.

"Sheriff Wolf!" Snow exclaimed with a stunned expression.

"What?! How dare you!" Bluebeard shouted angrily.

"How dare I what? Speak rudely to a serial killer? That's what you do, right? You marry them and then gut them?" Bigby growled as he stood up and leered at Bluebeard.

"Sheriff Wolf! That's enough!" Snow exclaimed sternly.

"You are an impertinent man! I demand satisfaction!" Bluebeard retorted.

"Fuck your satisfaction! I think you killed her and I'm ready to arrest you for it now! Convene your trial, Snow. My Deputy and I are charging this pompous asswipe with Rose Red's murder. He isn't cooperating, he's refused to answer a single question," Bigby declared.

"You and your Deputy haven't asked any! I'm willing to cooperate!" Bluebeard protested.

"Then stop beating around the fucking bush and answer our questions. Did you kill Rose? Did you harm her in any way?" I questioned sternly.

"No! Never!" Bluebeard snapped defensively.

"Then where were you the night before last?" Bigby asked.

"I have been here all day and night. I seldom go out," Bluebeard replied.

"A year ago you were really friendly with Rose. Were you two romantically involved, or was she just another trophy girl for public occasions?" I questioned.

"Romantically," Bluebeard said with a fond smile.

"And you got pissed when she dumped you to slither back to her old boyfriend?" Bigby asked.

"No, because she never "dumped" me, to use your own crude vernacular. We're still together, though we learned to be discreet about our relationship. A year ago at the Remembrance Day gala, Rose Red and I became engaged. For her own reasons, she insisted on keeping our engagement secret for one calendar year; a condition I agreed to," Bluebeard explained.

"Well, isn't that a big kick in the nuts. Is he telling the truth?" I asked Snow.

"I don't know," Snow replied with a shrug of her shoulders as Bluebeard took a file out of his desk and showed it to us.

"Of course I'm telling the truth. I'm no liar, and I can prove it in this file," Bluebeard huffed.

"How?" Bigby asked skeptically.

"Because we formalized our engagement in writing. I assume you and Deputy Pierce can verify her signature?" Bluebeard said as I took the file and we looked through it.

"You made my sister sign a contract promising to marry you?" Snow questioned.

"Only because there was a payment involved. A year ago I paid her a considerable dowry if such a term also applies to a payment made by the prospective groom to the prospective bride. Rose Red was and remains my fiancée. If she has truly fallen victim to a violent act, then I'll be devastated and will get vengeance. But for the moment, I'm offering a reward of a million dollars for the discovery and the arrest of whoever committed this atrocious act," Bluebeard declared as he stood up and banged his fist on the arm of the chair.

* * *

Greenwich Village, Lower Manhattan, New York City, America, 2002.

"That's the last load, guys. Can we go home now?" Boy Blue asked Bigby and me as he and Flycatcher rested on the sofa.

"Sorry guys, but not yet. Hauling all of this crap up here was the first step. The problem with our investigation is that the Sheriff and I don't know if we are looking for someone who is either alive or dead, so what we need to do to determine that is to recreate the blood spatter inside Rose's apartment. So congratulations guys, you two get to do that," I remarked as Bigby and I opened a cooler and took out two bags of blood.

"Whatever you say, Deputy," Flycatcher groaned.

"Okay, this apartment is directly below Rose's, and its floor plan matches hers. The first thing you two are going to do is to set up all this crap to duplicate her furniture layout as much as possible. Then you two get to do the fun part we promised by making a big mess with these pre-measured packets of blood. Basically, your jobs are to recreate the spatter patterns of the crime scene above," Bigby told them while he was puffing on his smoke.

"Cool," Flycatcher chimed in with a grin.

"Keep an exact count of how much blood you have to use to match the scene upstairs, then we'll know how much blood loss Rose actually suffered from. Use these photos of the actual crime scene to make your re-creation as accurate as possible. If you absolutely have to, you can go up to check out the actual scene, but watch where you step and make sure a Mundy doesn't see anything. Also, lock up after yourselves when you're done. Boy Blue's in charge, so call us at our office when you're done," I instructed.

Bigby and I left the apartment and I thought about how something about this whole thing didn't feel right.

"Dad, are you okay? You have that look," Bigby pointed out while I was driving us back to the Woodland.

"Sorry Son, I've just been thinking about how there's something off about all of this. Think about it, why was there a lock put on Rose's freezer door and why was her stereo completely untouched? I have a feeling that there's more to this case than we thought," I explained.

"You have a point, Dad. Well, we'll find out what's going on," Bigby assured.

I nodded as I kept driving and I knew that we would find out what is going on.


	2. Chapter 2

Business Office, Woodland Luxury Apartments, Bullfinch Street, Upper West Side Manhattan, 2002.

"King Cole surprised us. He managed to hold out for two whole days before putting pressure on us to get this case settled," Bigby remarked as we entered Snow's office with a computer.

"Where the hell did you two get all that?" Snow questioned while we approached her desk.

"From Jack's apartment. We just finished looking through it. It was full of computers, at least six complete systems. We borrowed one so that you can look through it and maybe figure out what he's doing with them," I explained while I was carrying a monitor and keyboard.

"Why me? Why don't either of you do it?" Snow asked in confusion as Bigby and I placed the computer down on her desk.

"Because we're going to be too busy investigating...and I can't work the damn things for the life of me. I'm a genetic Luddite that's incapable of operating anything more complex than my toaster," Bigby stated dryly as he puffed on his smoke.

"And what are you two going to be doing while I'm doing your work for you?" Snow questioned with an arched brow.

"We'll be working on a few things here and there. We're going to be giving Jack his lunch, and we still have a few details to figure out on this case," I said as I helped Snow set up the computer.

"Implying that you two already solved most of it?" Snow inquired eagerly.

"Yes. We solved nearly all of it within the first hour. We pretty much know what had happened and most of how it had happened, but we still can't figure out the who and why," I grumbled in irritation and scratched my head.

"And when exactly are you two planning on letting me know about this?" Snow asked.

"When we rule you out as a suspect," I declared bluntly.

"At least tell me that my sister's alive or dead," Snow pleaded.

"We'll see," Bigby said calmly which didn't sit well with Snow.

"God, you can be one frustrating son of a bitch!" Snow snapped in irritation.

"Literally in my case, but she was nevertheless a loving and nurturing mother a cub could want," Bigby stated, and I smiled a little in nostalgia when memories of Winter ran through my head.

"When are you planning to see the "loving" Prince Charming again?" I inquired curiously.

"Never would be nice...why?" Snow asked.

"Because my Deputy and I want you to help him sell his title, but not quite the way he has in mind," Bigby explained cryptically.

"Why would you and Nate care about that? What are you two up to?" Snow questioned in suspicion as Bigby and I went to leave the office.

"A plan so crazy that it might actually work to make everything turn out alright in the end without further bloodshed, and just maybe the entire Fable community doesn't collapse in the process. Though with our luck, it probably won't work," I stated dryly as we left the office.

After getting Jack's lunch, we headed down the stairs and approached the front desk where Grimble was taking a nap. I cleared my throat and Grimble woke up drowsily.

"Rise and shine, Grimble. Sorry to interrupt your grueling schedule of daily naps, but we need the keys to the holding cell," Bigby suggested.

"Why?" Grimble asked.

"We brought Jack's lunch so that we can feed him," I explained.

"Again? Are you two trying to fatten him up for the slaughter? If you're gonna treat convicts this well, then I volunteer to be your next one," Grimble stated as he lifted his hat to get a better look at us.

"Grimble...what the fuck are you talking about?" I questioned in confusion since I didn't recall Bigby and I feeding Jack earlier today.

"His royal jackass just brought your boy a big damn meal not ten minutes ago. Garlic roasted hen if my nose wasn't lying," Grimble said and my blood ran cold at the implication of what had just been said to us.

 _"Oh shit...that fucker better not have decided to do what I think he's doing,"_ I thought in disbelief as Bigby and I looked at each other warily.

"Who was it?" Bigby inquired uneasily.

"That pompous prick Bluebeard, that's who. He said you two authorized it. In any case, if you want the keys, you're gonna have to get them from him because he ain't returned them yet," Grimble clarified lazily but I didn't care about the keys at the moment.

"That fucking idiot! C'mon Sheriff, we need to stop a certain dumbass before he does something stupid!" I exclaimed in outrage as we quickly turned around and started to run.

I unholstered my P226 and Bigby shifted into his anthro stage as we rushed down the stairs to the big metal door that was partly open, bursting inside to see Bluebeard holding a knife to Jack's throat.

 **"Bluebeard! Drop the knife and back away from him, or I'll rip your fucking throat out! That is if my Deputy doesn't shoot you first,"** Bigby growled menacingly with his fur bristling, his tail twitching in agitation, and I stood beside him with my gun aimed at Bluebeard's head.

"Oh look. After all these centuries, the wolf has finally shed his sheep's clothing to once more show us the true beast underneath. Most of us knew it was only a matter of time before you reverted to your old ways, Bigby. Nature cannot be denied," Bluebeard stated gleefully.

"Oh thank God! Bigby, Nate, he's crazy! He's going to kill me!" Jack shouted in terror while Bluebeard used him as a shield.

"Nonsense. If I were trying to kill him, he would be dead already. I don't intend to kill the boy until after I've bled the truth out of him. Wolf, Pierce, let me have another hour with him and young Jack will beg me for the chance to tell us what he did to Rose and where we can find her...or her body," Bluebeard tried to reason.

"That's not the way we do things anymore, asshole. Drop the knife and back away or I'll use lethal force. Though I'll let Bigby tear you apart slowly in an agonizing way if I'm not feeling merciful, and that's running out quickly," I threatened coldly with a steely glare.

"So? Do you imagine that you two would be the first of your kind I've had to kill? I've kept lands free of such vermin for centuries," Bluebeard scoffed arrogantly.

 **"Always from the safety of a lance's distance I'd bet, and with plenty of armed men around you to keep you out of any real danger. Let's see how you do this time, with only one measly blade to help you,"** Bigby snarled softly while his muzzle's lips were peeled back to show his razor-sharp teeth.

"Point taken, but there is no way either of you will get me before I slit young Jack's throat," Bluebeard threatened.

"You don't want to do that!" Jack exclaimed in alarm.

"Did you forget that one of us has a gun aimed at your head? Go ahead and kill him, but I am a quick shot and I don't miss...if you do kill him, that gives us all the excuse we need to eliminate you," I warned coldly and Jack trembled at the prospect that he could die.

"Wait, fellas, we don't want to talk ourselves into rash actions here! Let's all step back, take a deep breath, declare a minute's moratorium on the chest thumping and see if we can't think things through rationally, okay? Guys?" Jack yelped frantically as the situation turned into a standoff.

* * *

"Pick up my shoes, Jack," Bigby ordered gruffly as the three of us walked up the stairs.

"Has it escaped your notice that I'm bleeding?! I need a fucking doctor!" Jack protested and I sighed in irritation at how he was complaining about the tiny cuts that were on his face.

"Will you quit your bitching? They're not even life-threatening, so use some Neosporin and slap a few band-aids on them," I stated just as Snow, an unglamored Grimble, Bufkin, and Trusty John came rushing down the stairs with weapons until they stopped when they saw us.

"What the hell?!" Snow cursed when she saw Jack's face.

"Holy shit!" Jack exclaimed when he saw the sword, the spiked mace, and the baseball bat.

"Whoa, where's the fire?" Bigby questioned humorously.

"We were coming to help you two, but I can see that everything's under control," Snow remarked.

"Well, that's mighty kind of you. John, Grimble, would you two get Jack to his apartment and use the first-aid kit...and make sure that he doesn't go anywhere," I instructed and Grimble grabbed jack by the back of his shirt as he, Bufkin, and John went back up the stairs.

"Where's Bluebeard?" Snow inquired after lowering the sword.

"He volunteered to take Jack's place in custody. I hope he likes spending time as a prison convict because he's going to be one for a long time. He was in the middle of torturing Jack when we burst in the cell," Bigby stated as he took out a smoke and lit it up.

"Why?" Snow asked.

"Apparently, he believed some of the more outrageous rumors about what actually happened to Rose Red...listen, I don't care if Bluebeard is this community's benefactor, no amount of money or bitching is going to get him out of the stupid situation he put himself in. Anyway, what were you planning to do with that sword?" I inquired as we went up the stairs and headed to the elevator.

"Help you two," Snow stated as we approached the elevator.

"We're flattered, but my Deputy would've shot and killed Bluebeard if he even attempted to kill Jack. Besides, we need to focus on the Remembrance Day celebration and how I need you to be in one piece while we go there," Bigby said with a wolfish grin and Snow rolled her eyes.

"When did we decide that I'm going to the Gala with you and Deputy Pierce? For that matter, when did you and Nate decide to go? You never go to the Remembrance Day celebration and Nate was never fond of going since..." Snow trailed off, and I knew that she was talking about how going to the Gala brought back bad memories about Winter passing away and how I was in a very dark place after that.

"I can't avoid it this year. If there's any chance to work everything out, then I need to be there and you have to go as my date. It's all very complicated and we can't explain it yet, so just play along. Now, if you'll please excuse us, we need to go home and get changed," Bigby stated as he and I entered the elevator and took it to our floor.

* * *

(Hours Later)

"Bigby, Nathan, glad you two wandered back in before going to bed because neither of you will believe what Jack's been up to this time. It seems our Jack Horner is the sole owner of Dream-World. Com...some kind of adventure tours startup company that he's been trying to take public for nearly a year...trust Jack to try and ride the wave of the dot-com investment hysteria only after everyone's finally gotten wise to them. It looks like he lost a bundle with his latest get-rich-quick scheme...but where did Jack get the bundle to lose?" Snow wondered as Bigby and I walked up to her desk with grim expressions.

"Snow...you need to prepare yourself for some bad news..." Bigby trailed off, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"What? What did you say?" Snow questioned after paying attention to us.

"We were hoping that you had gone home for the night so that we could put this off until tomorrow morning...normally, the average adult female has a little more than nine pints of blood. When 40% or more is lost, the person goes into shock because of it," I stated and Snow's eyes widened in horror.

"Why are you two...no, please God no," Snow begged softly.

"Snow...Bigby and I got a call that the amount of blood that was found inside Rose's apartment was a minimum of five pints...I'm sorry," I said quietly while looking away.

After that, Snow started sobbing and I left the office so that Bigby could have a private talk with her and I arrived at my apartment to get ready for the Remembrance Day celebration. Before I knew it, a week had passed and I was standing in front of my bedroom mirror after conjuring up a tuxedo and shaving my five a-clock shadow. I observed myself in the mirror, seeing the same short black hair that was spiked up at the front, intense green eyes that had seen so much hell throughout the centuries, and the tiny shrapnel scars that were on my face...my eyes showing a man that had been broken from survival and loss but grew stronger and more wiser.

I finished observing myself in the mirror and left the apartment, heading to the Gala and entering the ballroom...seeing many human Fables and non-human Fables that were unglamoured for this one night. After looking around, I spotted Bigby and Snow awkwardly dancing and I tried to keep myself from laughing at Bigby's uncomfortable expression.

"Well...hello Deputy, glad to see you are mingling," a female sultry voice announced behind me, and I looked back to see Cassandra Reynard, a beautiful redheaded woman in a black dress walk up to me with a grin.

"Casey...it's been a long time," I said calmly as she stopped in front of me.

"It sure has...you don't come up to The Farm often. You should visit us again so that we can hear more of your fascinating stories," Casey offered with a kind smile.

"And deal with your obnoxious brother? I would rather deal with anyone other than Reynard and his smartass attitude...I still don't get why he tries to get you and me together? Ever since he caught us alone while we were conversing, he's got it into his head that we are meant to be together and he always tries to play matchmaker while the two of us are talking," I grumbled in irritation as I thought about Reynard shooting a cheeky grin at me and teasing me whenever I see that trickster fox Fable.

"What? You don't think we are perfect together? I'm hurt, Nate," Casey pouted and I sighed.

"Look Casey...you're sweet and kind and I would get together with you if the circumstances were different, but..." I trailed off, thinking about Winter and Casey laid a hand on my arm in concern.

"But you still love Winter...don't you? Nate, Winter wouldn't want you to live a life of loneliness...she would want you to find someone else to care for and be with that person," Casey said softly as she looked at me.

"I...don't know, Casey. It's not that easy and I don't want to be unfaithful to Winter," I admitted quietly.

Casey didn't say anything and just smiled at me as everyone around us started heading to the roof so that Bigby could expose Rose's killer and get him arrested. Casey took my hand and we went to one of the balconies nearby so that we could watch the starry sky.

"It's beautiful..." Casey commented while we were stargazing.

"It is...Casey, about what you said, I'll think about it...besides, it makes me wonder where my life could've gone if I hadn't lost everything," I stated while we looked up at the stars.

"So...what was it like? Being a Mundy before changing into a Cardinal Wind?" Casey asked me curiously and I chuckled.

"A lot more boring compared to the life I've led now, and those first three months as a Hope County Sheriff's Deputy was not as exciting as my current job. Not to mention that shape-shifting into practically anything is most certainly an interesting experience," I remarked humorously.

Casey laughed in agreement and after a while, I heard people coming back and to my shock, I saw that Rose was among them with Jack, Bluebeard, Bigby, and Snow.

"What the fuck...is that Rose? I thought she was dead," I said in disbelief as Casey and I went back inside to greet the others.

"Deputy," Bigby greeted.

"Sheriff...did I miss something? Cause I could've sworn that Rose was not among the living," I questioned with an arched brow.

"About that...turns out that all of it was nothing more than another con that Jack planned and Rose faked her death so that she could get out of Bluebeard's marriage contract and steal his money," Bigby explained while Rose and Jack were looking more than unhappy.

I was surprised at this unexpected turn of events, but I was pissed at Rose for what she had put her sister through for the past few weeks.

"Well...at least you solved it. Nice work, Sheriff," I praised Bigby and he nodded in gratitude while puffing on his smoke.

"We should probably get these two processed and get the paperwork out of the way," Bigby suggested and I grumbled in irritation.

"Yeah, the fun part of being a cop..." I muttered lowly and Casey cleared her throat to get our attention.

"Well, I'm gonna go back to The Farm so that I can keep my darling brother out of trouble. Nate, it was nice seeing you again," Casey stated, and she waved as she walked away. When I looked at Bigby and Snow, I saw that they were grinning.

"What? What the hell are you two smiling at?" I questioned in confusion.

"So Deputy, chatting with Casey again? Or were you two doing something else?" Bigby teased and I started sputtering in response.

"Oh for God's sake...why the hell does everyone think we are together? The one time someone sees us talking alone and now everyone thinks we're in a relationship," I snapped in irritation.

I started sulking while everyone laughed good-naturedly and Bigby, Snow, and I escorted Jack and Rose out of the ballroom.

* * *

After getting Jack and Rose processed, I got dressed in my Deputy uniform again and Bigby, Snow, and I were now talking to Bluebeard a day later.

"Thank you Lord Bluebeard for coming by so promptly," Snow said politely while Bluebeard sat down in front of her desk.

"Your pet wolves didn't give me the impression that I had any choice in the matter," Bluebeard grumbled and I rolled my eyes subtly while clasping my hands on the buckle of my duty belt.

"This is America, where we all have the freedom of choice. For example, this case contains all of the money you originally gave to my sister, as her dowry in cash. If you choose to accept it, as for your only payment for all the wrongs you've suffered, then everything can end nicely," Snow stated as I placed a suitcase on her desk and opened it to show that it was full of money.

"There's still the matter of the wedding," Bluebeard pointed out.

"The wedding's off," Snow said bluntly and Bluebeard looked shocked.

"But I have a contract!" Bluebeard protested in disbelief.

"Yes, a contract you broke. You promised, as one of the conditions of your agreement with my sister to keep the engagement secret for one year, specifically until the night of the Remembrance Day celebration," Snow explained.

"So?" Bluebeard scoffed.

"So you told me, Bigby, and Nathan about it several days before the celebration," Snow clarified and Bluebeard started looking purple in the face from anger.

"Only when we all thought she'd been murdered, and I told you all in a response to your questions in an official investigation!" Bluebeard exclaimed angrily.

"So? You broke the conditions of the contract, making it null and void. You're lucky enough that we're willing to reimburse the money you've lost. We can always not do that," Snow said firmly.

"This is an outrage! I won't stand for this!" Bluebeard roared in outrage while standing up.

"Then we'll have no choice but to take back the money and reinstate the charges against you for the attempted murder of Jack Horner while he was still in custody," I warned pleasantly.

"Unfortunately, that means your head goes the way of so many of your past wives' heads," Snow remarked while Bluebeard closed the suitcase with a slam, picked it up, and stormed out of the office fuming.

 _"I get the feeling that he's going to be trouble later,"_ I thought grimly as the three us went to deal with Jack and Rose.

* * *

"Here's the deal, you two. You both get to stay out of prison but you're on probation for a year and you each owe 200 hours of community service and 10,000 dollars in fines," Snow stated, causing Jack and Rose to look at her in horror.

"We don't have that kind of money and it might as well be a million each," Rose protested.

"Too bad, because you'll have it by the end of the day. Our sources tell me and my Deputy that ex-Prince Charming is willing to pay at least that much to get his lands and title back," Bigby stated while puffing on his smoke.

"So that's it? No one ends up with anything?" Jack questioned unhappily.

"You two end up with your freedom, which is more than either of you deserves. And you keep that much as long as you two behave," Snow lectured firmly.

While Jack and Rose sulked, I thought about what Casey said and realized that she was right. Winter wouldn't want me to live a life of being alone and I had to admit that Casey and I would be perfect for each other. I decided that once I visit The Farm, I would give it a try with Casey and see what happens.

* * *

A/N And done. Now, if you all have read the comics, then that means that the rebellion at The Farm is going to happen in the next couple of chapters. So, what do you think about Casey and how do you think Nate will make a difference against the non-human rebels? Make sure to put down a review or send me a private message so that I know what to do next. Stay tuned.


	3. Chapter 3

Woodland Luxury Apartments, Bullfinch Street, New York City, 2002.

It had been several days since Jack and Rose's attempted con, and now Rose, Snow, and I were about to head to the Farm so that Rose could serve out her community hours there.

"Listen up Jack. Bigby is in complete charge of you while Rose, Deputy Pierce, and I are gone this week so don't give him any trouble," Snow warned as I stood nearby with my hands resting on my duty belt.

"Oh, Jack won't give me any trouble Snow, or I'll just keep adding more hours to his community service," Bigby stated which caused Jack to shoot him a look of horror.

"You can't do that! What the fuck, Bigby?!" Jack exclaimed in disbelief.

"Hey! Just try him and see what happens. This is what happens when you decide to be a dumbass," I said sternly.

"He can and he will with my blessing. Jack, until you work off the last of your punishment, you are to not complain and be grateful that you aren't getting a prison sentence because of what you and Rose tried to do. If you so much as try to test us, dark judgment will come down on you like the wrath of God almighty," Snow stated darkly.

"We'll be fine. You, Rose, and Deputy Pierce enjoy your trip and take your minds off us," Bigby reassured.

"That's another thing...Rose and I got the same punishment. Why does she get to work off her hours by going on a nice vacation while I have to pull janitorial duty alongside this inbred geek?" Jack insulted while he gestured to Flycatcher.

"Hey! Not cool, man!" Flycatcher retorted while Snow looked at her watch.

"Rose won't be going anywhere if she doesn't hurry the hell up," Snow grumbled in displeasure.

"I swear to God...if your sister pulled a runner on us, then she is going to be in even more trouble than she already is," I muttered lowly just as the elevator doors opened and Rose exited, holding a small backpack.

"There you are. Why aren't you packed yet? We are already running late," Snow snapped in irritation.

"I am packed, dear sister. This is it," Rose retorted as she held up her backpack.

"For an entire week?" Snow questioned skeptically.

"I travel light," Rose remarked as we went to leave.

"Have fun! Be careful and don't kill each other!" Bigby called out as we left the building.

"Hold on. If I'm going with you two, I might as well hitch a ride in the back," I chimed in.

"Why don't you use your car?" Snow inquired in confusion.

"Because driving to the Farm and back would be a waste of gas and I need to save up on gas money for when I really need it," I explained.

"So...how are you going to ride with us? Don't you think it would look odd to see a grown man riding in the back of a pickup truck?" Rose pointed out.

"Rose...you do know what I am and what I can do, right?" I questioned dryly and Rose blushed in embarrassment.

"Oh right...shape-shifter," Rose mumbled under her breath and they stopped to look at me.

I thought about what form I wanted to change into and I had an idea. I focused and my body started making cringe-inducing cracking and snapping noises as I shifted into another shape. As my uniform and duty belt disappeared, I went on all fours as my hips popped into a quadruped shape and my spine pushed against my skin as it started stretching. A pressure formed in front of my face and over my hands and feet as the flesh began to swell and balloon. I heard light sickly pops and cracks as my ears tugged and slowly moved upward while they formed into a triangular shape. My skin itched as hair sprouted out of my changing body and began growing and spreading to cover me in lush, two-layer tan fur with black coloring on my back and ears, while my nails grew into thick and dull claws while the flesh on my fingers, toes, palms, and the balls of my feet swelled and ballooned into thick pads. My teeth grew sharp while my tongue grew longer and flatter. Then, a lump formed on the base of my spine and it grew out while more fur with a short black stripe covered my newly forming tail. My heels and palms started stretching like rubber while my legs and arms shortened and altered into an inhuman form. My thumbs and toes receded and shrank beside my wrists and elongated feet. My shoulders creaked back and locked into a position better suited for moving in a quadruped stance while my chest and ribs expanded, my torso stretching into a slightly more narrow animal frame. My neck thickened and grew slightly longer while I made quiet canine whimpers as the feeling I felt in Salem centuries ago came back, my most private area altering into a canine shape and becoming covered in a sheath. Finally, my nose became black and more sensitive as my head and face lengthened and stretched into a muzzle that was being covered with black fur coloring like a mask, my size shrinking and stopping at 65 centimeters while my eye color turned brown.

Before Snow and Rose's eyes, I had morphed into a German Shepherd and I looked at them in anticipation after shaking my fur.

"Well...I suppose that will work," Snow remarked as I panted, and a collar appeared around my neck.

"Ugh...even after all these centuries, I still never get used to seeing that," Rose stated while looking ill at hearing and seeing me change into something else.

"Right...because you don't have my abilities," I said sarcastically while puffing up my chest a little.

Rose pouted while Snow laughed, and we headed to the truck.

"Anyway...why the hell do I get to go on this trip with you and Nate rather than do real work? Since when do you play favorites?" Rose questioned.

"Since I decided to see that after all these centuries of being at each other's throats, we might be able to work out our differences...and I'd like to see if it's possible for us to get back to being sisters again," Snow admitted and Rose scoffed.

"So, this trip is going to be like one long encounter session with each other? Baring our souls? Airing our grievances and venting our dirty laundry? Talking things out like civilized girls?" Rose wondered dryly.

"Something like that," Snow responded and Rose huffed.

"I'd rather push a mop," Rose retorted.

"Too bad, Rose. Your punishment for faking your own murder is whatever I decide it is. Now load up your bag and get in the truck...you can sulk while we are on the road," Snow stated as we approached the truck to see Trusty John struggling to push Colin into the back.

"Good morning Miss White, Miss Red, Mr. Pierce. Grand day, isn't it?" John greeted as he placed a rope around Colin's neck.

"Hey, John. It's nice to see you," I responded just as Colin piped up.

"But I don't want to go back to the Farm! I'm a city pig!" Colin protested.

"Too bad, Colin M'lad. You're going and that's the way it is," John lectured and Colin lowered his head while John tied the rope to the truck.

"I thought we were buddies, Johnny," Colin muttered while looking crestfallen.

"I'm tying him tight Miss White so that he doesn't get away again, you can count on that. You all should be ready to go, though watch the radiator since it tends to overheat," John warned as I padded up the ramp and laid down on my belly in the back of the truck.

"Thanks for the warning, John. We'll be careful," I said as I rolled to my side to soak up the sun's rays.

Snow and Rose got in the truck and we were heading to the Farm soon after. I was sitting up and leaning to the side so that I could feel the wind running through my fur and enjoy the many scents that were hitting me.

"Where are we? Are we there yet?" Colin asked for the hundredth time, causing me to shoot him a withering glare as we turned off the turnpike and went through upstate New York.

"Jesus Colin...will you quit fucking asking me every five minutes? You are driving me nuts," I snapped in irritation.

"Well...if I'm going to be miserable, then I might as well make everyone else miserable in the process," Colin remarked and I shut him up by baring my teeth and growling at him.

"You know what...I truly don't know how Bigby is able to tolerate you for so long because I have half a mind to strangle you right now, or maybe talk to the 13th floor witches and have them put up a barrier around the Farm so that you can't sneak out," I threatened while glaring at him.

"You wouldn't fucking dare!" Colin cried out in horror.

"Keep pissing me off and I might consider doing it. I am really done with having to deal with you sneaking off the Farm when you shouldn't...what do you think would happen if the Mundane world discovers our existence? There would be global mass panic and we all would be hunted down either out of fear or to be captured as lab rats for government experimentation. Humans fear what they don't understand and it tends to get ugly when they try to control or destroy what they fear," I lectured sternly just as I heard steam hissing, and I looked to see the engine was overheating.

While Snow pulled over and checked under the hood, I laid down and placed my head on my paws to take a nap since it would be a while until the engine cooled down. Later on, I was woken up by Snow who gently shook me. I got up while yawning and licking my snout.

"Ugh...God, are we there?" I inquired groggily while stretching forward and arching my haunches.

"Yes Deputy, we are finally "there" but it looks like no one else is here anymore," Rose remarked as I got out of the back of the truck and shifted back to my human form, my uniform and duty belt appearing on me.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked in confusion until I noticed there wasn't anybody around and the Farm looked empty.

"I'm not sure. Apparently, everyone here looks forward to my sister's visits as much as I do," Rose quipped while I looked around.

"Hello?! It's Deputy Pierce with the Fabletown Sheriff's Department! Is there anyone here?!" I called out but there was no response.

"Hold on Nate...I hear something. Come on...I think I heard voices in the barn," Snow urged us as we cautiously approached the building and I heard someone talking inside.

I gently moved Snow out of the way and placed my hand on the butt of my P226, carefully opening the door to see nearly every non-human Fable gathered around and speaking in hushed tones.

"Hello? Police officer. Is something going on?" I inquired in confusion and a chicken started flapping around in a frenzy.

"Run away! Run away! It's a raid! The Feds are here! I wasn't part of this because I was tricked and I'll turn over state evidence!" the chicken squawked in a panic which caused me to slightly narrow my eyes in suspicion.

"Deputy Pierce? Miss White? What are you two doing here so early in the season?" a swan inquired.

"We take it that this is a town meeting? If so, then why is Dun conducting it and not Weyland Smith? Is there something that we need to know about?" Snow wondered in confusion.

"Town meeting? Yes, of course, this is a town meeting...all perfectly innocent," Dun stated and I felt that something was wrong.

"I can't do hard time, I'm too delicate!" the chicken exclaimed frantically.

"Will someone please settle that damn chicken down! In honor of Snow White and Nathan Pierce's surprise visit, I say we postpone the remainder of this meeting so that we all can make them feel welcome," Dun stated.

"Why? What have we got to hide?" a wolf questioned in confusion.

"Out of order!" one of the three blind mice protested.

"Nonsense! A motion to adjourn is always in order so I hereby declare us adjourned!" Dun declared.

"If you all could excuse me, I need to find Casey," I stated as I turned around to see the fox Fable in question.

"Looking for me, Nate?" Casey inquired with a foxy grin.

"Oh...sorry Casey, I didn't see you there," I apologized while scratching the back of my head sheepishly.

"It's okay...shall we?" Casey said as she gestured her tail to the doors.

"Um...sure," I muttered shyly as we left the barn and went to a field nearby, Casey shifting into her human form so that she could be at the right height.

"So, have you thought about what we talked about?" Casey asked while the sun was setting.

"Yeah...I have and you're right. Winter wouldn't want for me to live a life of loneliness so I'm willing to give it a try with you and see where we'll go from there, okay?" I asked.

"Of course. If you feel uncomfortable about this in any way, just tell me and we can always remain as friends," Casey said and I nodded.

"Thanks, Casey," I said in appreciation and Casey suddenly looked bothered about something.

"Nate...there's something I need to tell you," Casey stated.

"What is it?" I asked in concern.

"Nate...you and Miss White are in danger here. You two need to take Miss Red and leave this place immediately before something terrible happens," Casey warned me.

"Casey...what the hell are you talking about? What do you mean about me and Snow being in danger?" I inquired while a chill ran up my spine.

"I...I can't Nate. I've already said too much and they could be listening to us right now. Just please take Miss White, Miss Red, and leave before something terrible happens," Casey begged, looking around like she was terrified of someone or something.

It was then that I had a rotten feeling in the pit of my stomach and I noticed something about the atmosphere of the area felt off...before, I'd always felt a warm feeling coming off the Farm but now it felt cold and unwelcoming, and the way Dun and some non-human Fables were acting...it was like they were too eager to have me and Snow here. Something was very off and I decided to take up Casey on her offer to get Snow and Rose out of here. Suddenly, I heard a scream of horror coming from the Farm and I quickly stood up, pulling out my gun and rushing to the area until I saw something that made me recoil and I covered my mouth.

"Oh my fucking God..." I trailed off in horror and disgust as I looked away.

"Nate! What was that...oh Jesus!" Casey cried out in distress as she caught up to me and I held her as she started sobbing.

"Just don't look...I'm right here," I comforted Casey while I looked at the sight of Colin's head propped up on a stick for everyone to see.

* * *

After the events of last night, I gave explicit instructions to the residents of the Farm not to touch anything and to bring me a camera and a pair of gloves so that I could examine the crime scene.

"Did you find anything, Nate?" Snow inquired, looking disturbed.

"Nothing...dammit! There has to be some form of trace evidence that'll help me find Colin's killer," I growled in frustration while I examined Colin's head.

"So...how's Casey?" Snow asked hesitantly.

"She's a mess right now and I don't blame her...Colin was a good friend of hers and seeing him like this is traumatic for her. Reynard is currently checking on her to make sure she is alright so once I'm done with processing the scene, I'm going to see how she's doing," I stated, finishing up taking the crime scene photos.

"Okay...Nate, do you have any theories as to how or when this happened?" Snow asked me.

"Honestly...I have no fucking clue since there is not much to find. I mean, how the hell did this happen without anyone seeing or hearing anything? But...I have an idea what is going on and you will not like it," I warned.

"Listen, Nate, I need to know what is happening in order to be prepared, so tell me what you think is going on," Snow said sternly and I sighed.

"Okay...but I warned you. What had been done to Colin, I've seen something like this before," I said darkly.

"What do you mean?" Snow inquired.

"It was back in Nam...1966. I was a Sergeant at the time and my unit and I were involved in a recon mission to locate an enemy stronghold that held some valuable Intel...we killed enemy patrols while moving through the jungle and managed to locate the stronghold but...oh God," I whimpered slightly and took a deep shaky breath before continuing, "We found the stronghold, but we came across many heads of men, women, and children that were put on sticks and spread around for anyone to see...Boyd almost lost his composure, Walker started crying, Redler just stared with this look of pure horror on his face, Chavez nearly lost it, Kenneth just threw up, and something in me just shut down while I tried to process what I was seeing..."

"Oh my God..." Snow breathed in revulsion while covering her mouth.

"Oh, it doesn't stop there...it turned out that those people used to be an entire village of hardworking folks that were trying to make a living. Apparently, the Viet Cong got it into their heads that those people were sympathizers of the rebels and they...we found out that they invaded the village, raped and murdered nearly everyone inside the village and set it on fire afterward...then, they not only left survivors but they decapitated the dead bodies and put their heads on sticks to send a message on what happens when you go against the NVA. I couldn't sleep for weeks and I and my unit had to get mandatory therapy to try and process what we had seen," I finished while closing my eyes and trembling, struggling to keep my composure.

"Nate..." Snow trailed off in disbelief.

"What I'm trying to say is that there could be only two reasons why this was set up...either this is a scare tactic or a message," I said bitterly.

"A message? But, what kind of message is the killer sending us?" Snow inquired hesitantly.

"I don't know, but Casey told me something last night...she said that we are in serious danger here and that we needed to leave this place immediately," I informed Snow.

"Danger? What kind of danger and did she say why?" Snow questioned.

"No...that was all she could tell me but she mentioned that "they" could be listening and she was looking around like she was terrified of something or someone," I explained.

"Jesus Nate...what the hell is going on here?" Snow wondered.

"I don't know...Snow, I have a really bad feeling about this place and something about it feels cold and unwelcoming. I think we need to get Rose and leave so that we can come back with backup just in case," I stated grimly while looking around the place.

Snow nodded in agreement while I went to check the surrounding area for any leads as to what had happened. After a while, I checked up on Casey to make sure that she was alright, then I went back to investigating throughout the day until it became nightfall. Frustrated that I hadn't found any leads, I was making my way back to the Farm when I caught a glint out of the corner of my eye. Feeling danger, I immediately dropped to the ground when rapid gunfire rang out and bullets whizzed above my head.

 _"Fuck! Who the hell is shooting at me?!"_ I thought in alarm as I pulled out my gun and frantically scrambled into cover behind a tree.

I heard people cursing and I leaned out to fire a few rounds, hearing a yell of pain and more gunfire pelted my cover. I zipped out of cover while firing, seeing non-human Fables shooting at me and I shouted in pain as a round grazed my head and sent me rolling down a hill, tumbling and hitting bushes and rocks as I crashed into a ravine which nearly caused me to black out from the pain. I forced myself to stand up and I limped through the forest, feeling like hell with my ribs broken and my head bleeding. I heard voices which prompted me to take cover in some bushes, seeing the familiar figures of Bagheera and Shere Khan stalking through the forest while arguing about looking for Reynard and Casey.

 _"Jesus Reynard...what the hell did you and Casey get yourselves into?"_ I thought just as I heard a sound behind me, causing me to whip my gun around. I instantly lowered it when I saw it was Reynard and Casey, the latter in her fox form.

"Bloody hell Nate! Don't shoot us!" Reynard hissed loudly.

"Then don't fucking sneak up on me like that! Are you two okay?" I asked quietly.

"We should be asking you that. You look like hell," Casey pointed out in worry.

"I'll be fine...I can't believe the inhabitants of the Farm are trying to kill me with firearms. I was ambushed earlier by shooters with Uzis for Christ's sake...how the hell did they get ahold of that much firepower?" I wondered.

"About that Nate...there is something you need to know. It's about what my darling sister tried to tell you last night," Reynard stated which caught my attention.

"Well, you two can explain while we keep moving because we are in a hot zone at the moment and I'd rather we all didn't get killed," I suggested and received quiet noises of agreement from the two foxes.

As we stealthily returned to the cottage where Snow and Rose were staying, Reynard and Casey explained that nearly all of the inhabitants of the Farm were starting a rebellion against the Fabletown Government because of the current laws in place. I was surprised to learn that Goldilocks was leading the rebels in a war not only against Fabletown, but also against the Adversary and his armies. I was also told that Weyland had been taken captive and was being forced to create weapons for the rebels, which angered me. Once Reynard and Casey were done explaining everything, we had made it back to the house. We climbed up to the window of Snow and Rose's room to see Snow sitting on her bed.

"Snow! Let us in!" I whispered urgently after I tapped on the window, causing Snow to look behind her. Her eyes widened in horror at the state I was in.

"Nate?! Oh my God! What the hell happened to you?!" Snow cried out in alarm which forced me to shush her frantically.

"Not so fucking loud! Let us in before someone sees us," I said quickly and Snow went over to open the window. Casey, Reynard, and I climbed inside the room.

"You and dear Nathan need to get out of here, girly-girl. It's no longer safe for either of you," Reynard stated while looking uncharacteristically serious.

"I can tell something bad is going on due to hearing what sounded like gunshots, and you are saying the same things Rose said to me earlier. Reynard, Casey, what the hell is happening?" Snow questioned in concern while I found a first-aid kit and worked on my head injury.

"We don't have time to explain because you and Nate need to get out of this place while you two still can. There are some of us who are still loyal to you and Nate, and my dear brother and I need to get you both to them before the enemy gives up on hunting us and focuses on going after you and Nate. Don't pack anything and make it look like you two are planning on coming back here," Casey instructed and we nodded.

I finished tying the bandage around my head and we all snuck out of the Farm to find the loyalists, preparing for a long night ahead of us.


	4. Chapter 4

The Farm, Upstate New York, 2002.

I held up my fist and quickly gestured the others to take cover as a hawk flew overhead, the four of us moving behind trees and rocks as the hawk flew above us in the daylight.

"The hunt goes on, I see..." Reynard remarked quietly.

"Careful...I have eyes on possible enemy air contact. As long as we keep moving from cover to cover, we should be fine," I assured. Snow yawned, looking like she was about to keel over any second.

"Lovely...the best way to remain undetected is to find somewhere to curl up and sleep," Snow grumbled.

"Snow, passing out in the middle of hostile territory is an extremely bad idea so please try to bear with it," I reasoned as I checked the perimeter again.

"Deputy Pierce is correct, sweetie. There are other things in these woods that are looking for us...I wish you were also packing heat to protect me and my darling sister from the lions, tigers, and bears oh my," Reynard commented and Casey groaned slightly at what would come next.

"Sweetie? Sweetie?!" Snow snapped in irritation which caused me and Casey to shush her out of paranoia.

"Will you two please be quiet before you attract the more unfriendly locals?" I suggested in exasperation as we moved quietly, but I was ignored.

"Since when do you get off on calling me "sweetie"?" Snow questioned with an arched brow.

"Ever since I didn't wake up blind and stupid every single day of my life. Any dumb bloke can see that you are one hot babe and who's more qualified than I am to declare you a total vixen? And for the record, I didn't "get off" yet but one can hope," Reynard stated with a sly grin.

"What the fuck Reynard? We are in the middle of enemy territory and you are not only hitting on the Deputy Mayor of Fabletown, but you are also making sex jokes? At a time like this? To the Mundies, being in a relationship with an animal is considered disgusting and abnormal," I rounded on him in disbelief.

"Oh, like you're the one to talk, since you are now mating with my sister," Reynard retorted dryly, causing me to inhale sharply and I sputtered while my face burned in embarrassment.

"Brother?! What the blooming hell?!" Casey cried out in shock while her eyes bulged in disbelief.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Reynard?! For your information smartass, we aren't official yet. We just decided to give things a try and see where they'll go from there. We're not just going to up and start humping like out of control rabbits...you know what? We are in the middle of enemy territory so can we do this later? How about you show us what you and Casey wanted us to see because right now, I have half a mind to plant my boot up your ass," I threatened, still blushing.

"Very well...it's right this way, my shape-shifting friend," Reynard said sarcastically as he moved ahead and gestured for us to follow him.

We kept moving for a while until we found ourselves in a large field. I aimed my gun around just as Reynard started chatting with Snow again.

"As I'd hoped, no hunting birds this deep into our lands. They're all searching the borders, assuming we'll make a run for it. So Miss White, back to our conversation. In my own defense, everyone knows you've been bumping uglies with Bigby Wolf," Reynard stated bluntly.

"I most certainly have not!" Snow exclaimed incredulously, causing me and Casey to whip our heads at the tod in disbelief.

"Brother! Quit being such a damn prude and get your bloody mind out of the gutter! That's the Deputy Mayor you are speaking to," Casey lectured while I frantically shushed everyone.

"Would you all please be quiet? I don't think the entire state heard you," I hissed harshly while quickly looking around to see if anything was approaching.

"Anyways...back to the subject, Miss Snow. If you're already into Big Bad Wolves, then it's just a matter of time before you move up several rungs on the sophisticatory ladder to one Reynard T. Fox Esquire," Reynard stated with a foxy grin.

"Two things: sophisticatory isn't a word and the only thing that's "just a matter of time" is that I'm going to personally strangle you if Deputy Pierce doesn't shut you up himself," Snow threatened.

"Yeah...sure. Here we are, so take a look at this. My darling sister and I found it last night while we were running for our lives," Reynard informed me and Snow as we approached an object that was lying on the ground. We could see that it looked like a helmet with a revolver attached to it.

"What the hell is this?" I wondered as I holstered my gun and picked up the helmet to examine it.

"A gun...specifically one that's been modified for use by non-human Fables. In this case, I suspect that it's intended to be a crew-served weapon system...strap the thing to one Mr. Tortoise for battlefield mobility and team up with one Mr. Hare for actual operation," Reynard explained.

"Jesus Christ...that's pretty fucking clever," I muttered under my breath and caught a whiff of a familiar tiger Fable who was in the distance.

"Nate? What's wrong?" Snow inquired in concern when she saw me looking tense.

"We have incoming enemy contact...it's Shere Khan," I notified grimly as I put my hand on the butt of my gun.

"Oh God...what do we do?" Casey whimpered and I kneeled down to place a hand on her furry back in order to calm her.

"Someone needs to draw him away from us...which is why I'll do it. I'll change into someone else and direct him in the wrong direction, alright?" I inquired and everyone looked uncertain.

"I don't know about this Nate...things could go horribly wrong," Snow pointed out in concern.

"I'll be fine Snow. Just take cover and hide your scents. Everything will be fine, I hope," I muttered the last part as I started changing and my uniform disappeared.

My body snapped and shrank down to about 5 kilograms. Red fur with white coloring covered me as my long tail grew in with fluffy red fur and a white puffy tip. My arms, hips, and legs cracked into a vulpine shape while my ears, head, and face stretched and compressed into a long and slender muzzle. Finally, the last change was my green eyes turning amber and I looked to see Snow, Casey, and Reynard looking at me in surprise.

"So, how do I look?" I asked in Reynard's voice.

"Incredible...I never get tired of seeing you do that," Snow responded as Casey and Reynard came over to sniff me curiously.

"Well I'll be...aren't I a handsome devil," Reynard observed while I rolled my eyes.

"I have to admit Nate...you'd definitely make a handsome tod. I can't wait until we are official," Casey stated lowly which made me shiver slightly at her tone.

"Anyway...you all hide while I deal with a certain fuckin' muppet," I instructed and went to confront Shere Khan, who started growling eagerly when he saw me.

"Well now...if it isn't Reynard The Fox. Done hiding like a coward? Now, hold still so that I can grant you an unpleasant death and find your sister to make her scream," Shere Khan threatened.

"You don't want to do that, old boy...because I want to tell you where Miss White, my darling sister, and Constable Pierce went," I lied, causing Shere Khan to narrow his eyes in suspicion.

"Why would you want to betray your sister and those Fabletown Government officials? And for what purpose?" Shere Khan questioned.

"Because I'm trapped here just like you are and what sane person would want to be trapped in this prison? As for my darling sister, I want to convince her to come over to the other side so that we can escape this accursed place and create lives of our own out in the world..." I said with a sly grin.

"So, the great Reynard T. Fox has decided to join us? Why are you making this decision now when we tried to kill you and your sister? You always have an angle of some kind so that things would benefit you and your sister...you're not known as the Trickster Fox for no reason," Shere Khan pointed out and I pretended to look hurt.

"You truly doubt me, my feline friend? I'm hurt that you think of me in such a manner. Wasn't I the one who saved you, King Noble, and the others from the King of the goblins who were in the Adversary's employment?" I questioned and Shere Khan grumbled.

"As unpleasant as it is for me to admit, you have a point but you were never known to be trustworthy...what the hell. Since I don't have time to deal with your antics, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt for now," Shere Khan muttered reluctantly.

"Splendid, my dear chap! Now, Miss White, my darling sister, and Constable Pierce took off to the West in an attempt to escape the area," I lied as I gestured my tail in the opposite direction of where Snow and the others were.

Shere Khan huffed as he sculked away and I waited until he was far enough away to head over to Snow and the others while I shifted back into my human form.

"It's all clear," I announced quietly as the others came out of hiding.

"Nathan...I have no idea what to say. You had my personality down so well that I almost thought you were a clone," Reynard stated, looking impressed.

"Well, we have no idea how long Shere Khan will buy what I told him so let's hurry and keep moving," I stated but Reynard shook his head.

"Sorry Constable, but my darling sister and I need to meet up with the Loyalists so that they can prepare to fight back against the Rebels. Now, if you blokes want to figure out what is going on, then continue hiking over these hills, pass through the valley of the Big Sleepers, and up into the hills beyond. A day's travel up the highest peak will lead you to a remote cave where you should be safe. With any luck, we'll meet again," Reynard told us and I knelt down in front of Casey.

"Take care of yourself, Casey," I said softly while running my hand down her back and through her fluffy tail, causing her to shiver blissfully at the contact.

"You too, Nate," Casey said as I stood up and went to leave with Snow.

I looked back one more time to see Reynard and Casey moving fast in the opposite direction and I looked at the rock wall, placing my hands and feet on footholds while Snow and I started climbing.

* * *

I didn't know how long we were climbing, but I was feeling the effects of the adrenaline wearing off and exhaustion from a combination of getting injured and staying awake all night and day was hitting me hard which was forcing me to struggle in an effort to stay alert and awake. As we reached a ledge, Snow yelped while she looked to her right and I turned my head to see the three giants and dragon currently out cold.

"Oh, God...I forgot...how this sight...always leave me...breathless..." Snow panted as we pulled ourselves up and I rested my hands on my knees as I tried to regain my breath.

"...We can't stop...we're dead if we pass out," I stated breathlessly and Snow nodded in agreement.

After Snow was done taking a restroom break, we kept climbing up until we heard a voice I hoped we never had to hear again.

"Did you think I would fall for that trick, Deputy?" I heard and my blood ran cold when I looked down to see Shere Khan pursuing us.

"Shit! I thought I led you away, asshole!" I exclaimed in disbelief while the tiger Fable chuckled darkly.

"I have to admit...you almost fooled me there for a second, but then I remembered that Reynard wouldn't just be without his sister due to them being inseparable, and he also wouldn't just hand his sister over like that. The final thing that convinced me was that I recalled you having the ability of being able to change into a limitless amount of shapes, so it was an amusing effort to divert me away but it wasn't enough," Shere Khan stated as Snow and I frantically climbed up into a ledge.

"Go to hell!" I yelled as I kicked Shere Khan in the snout, sending him bouncing off the rocks and landing on a tree.

"Arghhhh! You are fucking dead when I get my claws on you, Deputy!" Shere Khan roared in agony and fury while Snow took out the helmet with the gun.

"Nate, what do I do!" Snow cried in terror.

"Check to see if it's loaded, take the safety off, and get ready to fire!" I shouted urgently as I pulled out my gun and got ready to shoot.

Shere Khan leaped up and went to attack us, but a shot to the right shoulder from me sent him tumbling against the ledge and he looked at us in fear.

"Please! Mercy!" Shere Khan begged but I felt no sympathy for the tiger.

"Fuck you, you sick son of a bitch!" I roared as Snow and I opened fire, killing Shere Khan as the slide of my gun locked back and I witnessed the dead tiger falling and hitting the ground far below.

I released a shaky breath I was holding in as I loaded my gun and I turned to see Snow, who tossed the customized gun aside and latched onto me while she sobbed from the trauma she had just experienced and at the knowledge of taking another life. I holstered my gun and just held her while her tears wetted my slightly torn uniform shirt. The two of us stayed this way, next to each other as the sun lowered toward the horizon and nightfall approached.

"I'm sorry Nate...I didn't mean to lose it like that," Snow hiccuped while we stood up.

"You needed that, Snow. You've been through hell these past few days," I reassured her as we moving on.

We climbed for a while and my ears eventually caught the sound of faint tapping above us.

"Snow...do you hear that?" I gasped in exhaustion and Snow nodded as we finally made it to the ledge and climbed up onto solid ground.

We saw a cave nearby and I pulled out my gun. Snow was right behind me as I heard the tapping sound turning into a loud clanging as we got closer. I aimed my gun while we slowly went inside, my eyes widening in shock as I saw Weyland Smith chained by his ankle, working on creating something.

"Holy shit...Weyland?" I wondered and Weyland looked to see me and Snow appearing worse for wear.

"Snow White? Nathan Pierce? Is that you two? Fancy meeting you here so what do I owe the pleasure? Are you two okay? Neither of you look very well," Weyland pointed out in concern.

"Weyland, what happened to you? Why are you up here? Who did this and why did you quit the Farm without telling anyone?" Snow questioned.

"I quit? Really? I can't imagine why I'd do that but if you say so..." Weyland trailed off.

"So Reynard was right-" I started to say, but I was cut off when something hit me hard in the back of the head and I dropped like a sack of bricks.

As I was losing consciousness, I heard Snow and Weyland calling out for me in panic and I could've sworn that I heard Rose's voice.

 _"Rose?"_ I thought dizzily and everything went black as I passed out.


	5. Chapter 5

The Farm, Upstate New York, 2002.

I felt pain as I started regaining consciousness and I let out a groan while I opened my eyes. I could see Snow looking very relieved as she sat next to me.

"Nate! Oh, thank God you're okay! I thought you were..." Snow cried as I slowly sat up and clutched my head.

"Snow?...argh, my fucking head. What the hell happened?" I wondered as I felt blood on my forehead.

"You don't remember what happened?" Snow asked me.

"All I remember was seeing Weyland chained up and the next thing I knew was that there was an agonizing pain and everything went black...what happened?" I inquired and Snow latched on to me, crying.

"Nate...you got shot in the head right where it would kill a person! Weyland and I thought you were dead!" Snow gasped, sobbing. I held her as I recalled almost hearing a faint gunshot before I blacked out.

My blood ran cold at the knowledge of what Snow had told me...if I wasn't immortal, I most likely would've died and God knows what the Rebels would've done to Snow after that.

"Well...I'm here and I won't ever let that happen again. So, who the hell shot me? And I think I heard Rose right before I blacked out," I said and Snow managed to regain her composure.

"It was Goldilocks who shot you and apparently, Rose has joined the Rebels. They chained me up and I passed out, sleeping for a few hours but Weyland over here woke me up and he made a key to release me. I was trying to find a way to free Weyland when you suddenly came back from the dead," Snow explained as I unsteadily stood up.

I shook my head to clear it and saw that my gun was nearby on the floor, so I walked over and picked it up. I holstered it and turned to look at the chain that was on Weyland's ankle, and I examined it to see if there was some way to get it off him.

"Shit...I don't know what to tell you, Snow. Whoever made this made sure that it can only be opened with the key and I'm sure that one of the Rebels has it...hello," I muttered the last part in interest when I saw the arsenal of firearms that were on a wall.

I checked the weapons and was shocked to see frag grenades, flashbang grenades, AK47s, Uzis, M4A1 carbines, RPGs, handguns, shotguns, bolt action rifles, and God knows how much ammo that was out in plain sight.

"Jesus...look at all this hardware. With all of this, they could most certainly launch a successful invasion against Fabletown. If that happens, then the NYPD would get involved which will expose our existence to the Mundane world, and that is when the very stupid shit starts...Christ, there are silver rounds in here too. The Rebels knew that they would have to face Bigby and they discovered his weakness against silver. Well, since we are facing an army, we might as well be more prepared," I stated as I took a Remington bolt action rifle with a scope, loaded it, and slung it while I grabbed an M4A1 and fresh ammo.

While I loaded the rifle, I heard Snow and Weyland conversing about how to unlock the cuff on the chain and I caught a whiff of Reynard and Casey approaching as they entered the cave.

"Nathan...you look even worse than when we last saw you, if that's even possible," Reynard remarked.

"Well, it's been hell for the past several hours, smartass," I retorted, since I wasn't in the mood to deal with Reynard's antics.

"We're glad you and Miss White are still okay," Casey said softly as she came over next to me.

"Well...we could've been worse but I'm also happy that you and your brother are okay," I stated as I got ready to check on Snow, who looked frustrated that she couldn't figure out how to unlock the cuff on Weyland's ankle.

"Miss White, why don't you try this key that's lying here? Or have you already tried it, Snow Bunny?" Reynard suggested as he gestured to the key that was on the floor and Snow picked it up.

"Reynard...I was wondering when you and your sister would show up. This key was the one Weyland made to unfasten my shackles. It won't work on his," Snow stated.

"Why not? The locks look the same," Reynard pointed out.

"Reynard...there's no fucking way the Rebels are that stupid. They wouldn't make shackles that have the same locks and put them on two people," I said skeptically.

"Well...it couldn't hurt to give it a try. Weyland, do you think this could work on yours too?" Snow inquired.

"I'm sorry but I can't do anything by word or deed to set me free," Weyland stated and my eyes widened when I caught the hidden gesture in his eyes.

"You clever son of a bitch...you found a loophole that let you make your own escape key! Snow, try the key and see if it'll work," I encouraged eagerly.

Snow knelt down and used the key on the cuff, unlocking it and freeing Weyland, who bent over and massaged his ankle.

"Finally! I never thought I would ever get out of that damnable thing! Let me ask you something, Miss White. Were you really determined to try every tool in the place before you figured out that the key was the only way to free me?" Weyland inquired.

"Y'know, I would lecture you on how you are being rude but I'll let it go due to you being held captive for so long," Snow stated.

"Miss White...sorry to cut in, but now isn't the best time to start an argument," Casey said and I nodded in agreement.

"Casey's right. We need to deal with this situation quickly before the Rebels can cause any more damage," I said.

"So, you have a plan, Deputy?" Reynard asked curiously.

"Maybe...Weyland, you can answer questions now without that shackle of yours, right?" I inquired.

"Yes," Weyland replied.

"Then Snow and I need to know three things. What we need to know first is how many operational firearms do the enemy have?" I questioned.

"Plenty. Every Fable who could use unmodified guns already has them," Weyland informed me.

"Okay, so what about advanced communications? What do they have and what do you have here to work with?" I questioned.

"They don't have anything in terms of communications yet. Like any amateur soldier throughout history, they made the mistake of putting weapon acquisition before communications. We got all sorts of electronics here, which I was instructed to start modifying only after I completed all of the firearms. What do you need?" Weyland asked with a hearty grin.

"I'll tell you later. What I need to know are the Big Sleepers. What could it take to wake them?" I asked.

"Oh...I see what you are planning, Deputy," Weyland muttered in realization.

"Deputy, if you are going to wake the Big Sleepers, then what are my darling sister and I going to do?" Reynard inquired.

"Casey will stay with us while you quickly sneak back into the village and spread the word. Tell any Fable still loyal to us that they need to be outside of town during the big noon rally," I instructed and Reynard nodded as he quickly left the cave. As the rest of us got started on the rest of the plan, I heard the sound of a bird flying and I looked out to see a crow with a familiar scent trying to fly out of the area.

"Hold on," I stated as I unslung my bolt action rifle and aimed through the scope, leading the target and shooting the bird through the head.

"What the hell was that all about?" Casey wondered in confusion.

"The Crooked Man...bastard tried to escape and I killed him," I explained and Snow's eyes widened.

"The Crooked Man? But I thought Greenleaf's spell would've prevented him from escaping," Snow pointed out.

"The Rebels must've freed him somehow in order to use him as an ally. Anyway, let's get back to what we were doing," I stated and the others agreed.

* * *

"Don't shoot! We surrender!" I called out to the Rebels while Snow and I arrived at the square, waving white flags above our heads.

"Everyone drop your weapons and disperse! Your so-called revolution is over!" Snow declared and a few Rebels laughed.

"Seriously? Why should we, since we outnumber you two?" Dun scoffed.

"You all have no idea who you are fighting against! I'm Snow White and I'm never outnumbered...do it Nate!" Snow ordered and I spoke on my radio.

"Attention Eagle 1, fire an artillery barrage on the barn," I said, and a stream of flames came down from the sky to cover the barn, causing the Rebels to recoil as they looked up to see the dragon flying over their heads.

"Oh my God! We're fucked!" Puss in boots cried out in alarm.

"Eagle 1...if Snow and I are KIA, then burn the town along with everyone in it and kill anyone who tries to escape," I ordered coldly and added, "Move the brothers to our location."

"They're already on the way!" Weyland notified me.

"Copy," I said just as the three giants loomed over the entire town. I warned, "This is your last warning. Drop your weapons and return to your homes or things will get ugly for you."

The Rebels hesitated at first, then reluctantly put down their weapons, Snow, Weyland, and I moved in to put shackles on everyone just as a red sports car came speeding up into view.

"Oh look, the cavalry has arrived," Rose remarked as the car screeched to a stop.

"Shut up, Rose. Originally, you were going to get off light by doing community service but you helped lead a rebellion against Fabletown, so now you are under arrest for committing acts of terrorism," I said sternly while the car doors opened and Bluebeard, Prince Charming, Bufkin, and Boy Blue quickly got out armed with guns and other weapons.

"Snow, Deputy, we're here to...save you?" Charming wondered the last part in confusion when he saw that we had the situation under control.

"You don't need to worry anymore, fellas. We had a little trouble but everything's now under control. Miss Red and these idiots are now under arrest, though I'll advise you to remain on high alert because one of the leaders of this group managed to escape. The person is Goldilocks and she may still be in the area, not to mention that she was armed the last time Snow and I saw her," I warned just as there was a gunshot and Snow dropped to the ground with a bullet hole in her head.

I instantly reacted by aiming my rifle and opening fire at the area where the shot came from, frantically yelling at everyone to take cover as I kept shooting and my mag ran empty. I reloaded and rushed to the sniper's perch to find that the shooter was gone, causing me to roar in frustration as I hit the wall in fury. I calmed down but panic welled up in me as I remembered Snow getting shot and I rushed over to see her being held up by Charming.

"Don't just stand there! Get her in the fucking car so that we can get her to the hospital!" I yelled. Charming gently put Snow in the back seat and we all quickly took off for Fabletown.

* * *

Casey and I waited outside of Snow's room while Bigby was inside. I felt Casey grab my hand to squeeze it comfortably, causing me to look at her with a smile just as Bigby came out.

"How is she?" I asked.

"She'll be fine but...Swineheart told me that due to the injury, Snow is currently comatose at the moment," Bigby informed me. I felt a little bit of relief but also guilt that Snow was currently in a coma.

"Thanks for telling me, Bigby," I said as Casey and I went to leave.

Casey and I went to the Woodland, and entered my apartment.

"So...this it what the inside of your flat looks like? It's nice," Casey complimented and saw the painting of me, Winter, Bigby, and his brothers.

"Nate...is that a painting of you?" Casey inquired as I sat down.

"Yeah...and the other wolves are Winter, Bigby, and his brothers," I clarified as I pointed to the wolves in order.

"So the white wolf is Winter? She's beautiful and I didn't know Sheriff Wolf had any brothers," Casey pointed out and I winced as I recalled Greyheart and the other cubs.

"That's because Bigby's relationship with them is...rather strained right now," I stated hesitantly.

"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that, so how are you feeling right now?" Casey inquired.

"I just...every time I get close to someone, they either get hurt or they die. Am I cursed?" I wondered bitterly.

"You're not cursed Nate. You didn't know this was going to happen," Casey reasoned.

"Maybe...but I still should've noticed where the sniper was and Snow wouldn't have gotten shot if I had acted in time," I stated darkly and Casey placed a hand on my arm.

"Don't blame yourself. Nate. You are a good man who's trying his best to keep this community from falling apart," Casey reassured and I looked at her.

I suddenly leaned forward and kissed her, catching her by surprise for a few seconds but she started kissing back and we laid down on the sofa as we locked lips. I ran my hands on her nice curves as she traced her palms on my chest, and we stopped kissing in order to look at each other.

"So...I guess we are official now?" I breathed huskily.

"We'll see," Casey stated as we got up and went to the bedroom.

We started kissing again on the bed and I moved myself on top of her while we enjoyed exploring our passion for each other, caressing ourselves and I made my clothes disappear while Casey ran her hands on my taut muscles and hard abs. I moved off of Casey so that she could take her clothes off and she pushed me down to straddle my torso, grinding against my cock.

"You want to be my mate? Then earn it," Casey declared as she quickly got off and shifted into her fox form, looking back and yipping at me.

Eager to accept her challenge, I also shifted into the form of a red fox and chased her around the apartment in glee, thankful that I had a soundproof spell put on my apartment or people would hear two foxes yipping and whining as they chased each other. I managed to tackle Casey to the ground and she pushed me off, the two of us circling and gekkering at each other while we pounced. We placed our paws on each other's chests and kept trying to push ourselves back in an effort to dominate each other. Eventually, I pushed her back and she stopped, backing up and turning around to fan her tail. I moved forward to sniff the delicious scent of pheromones coming from her and I lapped at her vaginal zone. Casey yipped from the pleasure and I moved back so I could mount her. I gently pushed into her pussy and we both whined at how good it felt as I started thrusting.

"How does it feel, my little vixen?" I growled softly.

"Oh God Nate...keep treating me as your little vixen! Keep rutting me so that I can bear your kits!" Casey moaned as I nibbled on her neck.

"If that's what you want, then become my vixen! I'm going to fuck you endlessly until you bear our kits!" I snarled lustfully as I leaned forward to grab her chest and hammered even harder.

Casey whined and yipped in pleasure as I kept thrusting like a jackhammer and I forcefully pushed the knot in, making me see stars as I bit down on Casey's shoulder and felt the end approaching.

"I'm coming, my little vixen! Take it all!" I roared in pleasure.

"Don't stop, Nate! Fill me with your sperm and give us kits!" Casey cried out as my knot swelled up to tie us together.

Finally, my orgasm came suddenly and we howled in bliss as my seed poured into Casey. I got off of Casey and turned around so that our haunches were pressed together.

"Nate...that was amazing," Casey gasped breathlessly while we waited for my knot to soften.

"It was...I love you...my mate," I panted as we waited.

After an hour had passed, my knot had softened enough for me to pull out, and Casey gasped as I did. We went to the bedroom together, shifted back into our human forms, and climbed into bed, pulling the covers up and holding each other close as we closed our eyes and fell fast asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Woodlands Luxury Apartment, Bullfinch Street, Manhattan, New York City, 2002.

It had been a few months since the events of the Farm rebellion and it had been a little difficult trying to recover from those events. A few weeks after Snow had been shot, she finally woke up from her coma and she was currently taking it easy while recovering in the hospital. As for me and Casey, our status as mates had become well known in Fabletown and Gren celebrated by buying drinks for us. Holly teased us and I didn't think Casey could blush any harder from all the praise. As for the Rebels, a trial was currently being prepared and those who were involved in the rebellion to take down Fabletown were given the choice of hard labor or permanent prison time...as for Dun and Posey of the Three Little Pigs, they were sentenced to prison until a trial was held. Finally, Goldilocks was currently wanted for committing terrorist acts and the attempted murder of Snow White, though she had gone off the grid and we were struggling to locate her.

All and all, it was still going to be a while until things would settle down and life would go back to normal. Bigby and I were in our office and currently lecturing Briar Rose about causing an incident at a Mundy jewelry store.

"This is serious, Briar. You fell asleep again, in the middle of Tiffany's," Bigby stated gruffly, puffing on his smoke.

"I couldn't help it, Bigby. I pricked my finger on a diamond pin at the jewelry counter," Briar explained sheepishly.

"Causing the entire sales floor to fall asleep with you? Customers and employees alike?" I questioned with an arched brow.

"Unfortunately, that's the way the old enchantment works. First I prick my finger on something and fall asleep, then everyone around me falls asleep, and then the thorn forest starts growing around whatever building I happen to be in," Briar told us.

"Well...we got seriously lucky that the Mundies think some kind of gas leak caused it. Look, Briar, you need to figure this out because we cannot have another incident like this happening again, especially among the Mundies," Bigby lectured sternly.

"I don't think the enchantment cares where I am or who I'm with...I thought it had ended for good back in the Homelands when Prince Charming kissed me, but all that apparently does is reset the spell back to its starting position. It's an endless cycle," Briar stated bitterly.

"My advice to you is that you should watch where you're walking. You're still are wealthy enough to hire some workers so that they can remove all of the rough edges and sharp corners. And make sure to wear thick gloves when you go out," I advised calmly.

"That might work while winter lasts, but not when spring comes," Briar stated and I sighed.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, Briar. You need to find a solution to this problem or another incident will happen," I told her just as someone knocked on the door and Boy Blue opened it to peer inside.

"Sheriff, Deputy. Excuse me for interrupting, but Trusty John needs you outside," Boy Blue notified us.

"Christ above...what is it this time?" Bigby grumbled as we stood up and went to leave.

I put on my jacket and we followed Boy Blue to the front doors of the building. Trusty John was waiting for us out in the snowy weather.

"What's going on John? Is something wrong?" Bigby inquired.

"I just wanted to inform you two that a Mundy gentleman is waiting outside the front gates," John said as he pointed to the man in question.

"Um...we don't see what's wrong with that. Mundies pass through Fabletown all the time, so they don't know that this place isn't part of their city," I stated in confusion.

"Except that this one asked for you two by name," John told us, causing Bigby and I to look at each other in confusion.

"Hold on...we're gonna go see what the hell is going on," Bigby said as we went to go talk to the man with glasses and a receding hairline.

"Okay...you have our attention, so what's your story?" I inquired when we approached the man.

"Mr. Wolf and Mr. Pierce?" the man asked.

"That depends...who are you and what's your business with us?" Bigby questioned while puffing on his smoke.

"Oh, I know it's you two alright and I know everything about the both of you. I'm Tommy Sharp and I write the Sharp Comments Column. Perhaps you two have read it?" Tommy inquired.

"Yeah, I've read about you. You're damn good at your job, so what's your business with us?" I asked curiously.

"I'm here because I've been working on a story about your underground community. I've put in the hours, checked and double checked the research, and done the legwork," Tommy stated proudly.

"Okay, so why are you here?" Bigby wondered while we looked at each other with dread.

"I know all your secrets and as a journalistic courtesy, I've decided to reveal myself or come out of the shadows, so to speak, in order to give you two the opportunity to respond before I print my story," Tommy explained.

"Um...do you think you can clarify because you are not making any sense at the moment," I stated and hoped that he wasn't suggesting what I thought he was suggesting.

"You and your friend can use that evasive tact all you'd like, but I know what I know. You're a community of immortals...probably. In any case, everyone in this place has been alive for centuries, tucked away in this quiet little corner of the city. Your group has owned everything on this block since back when New York was called New Amsterdam...I've got records, I've compiled personal histories, and I've dug up pictures of a number of you that date back to the very beginning of when photography was created, and not one of you has aged a day. As for you Mr. Pierce, I looked up your name and the only thing I could find was records of your military service in Vietnam, but nothing else," Tommy explained, Bigby and I staring at the man dubiously.

"So...let me guess, this story of yours is going to be published between the big "Elvis is an alien" expose, and the latest installment of "I had Bigfoot's baby"," Bigby remarked in amusement.

"Mock me if you like, but the three of us know that I'm going to win a Pulitzer prize with this. Hell, maybe even the Nobel prize for being the first to come up with undeniable evidence about the existence of your kind," Tommy declared, Bigby and I huffed in amusement.

"And just what do you think "our kind" is exactly?" I inquired, humoring the man.

"Vampires, of course," Tommy replied.

"You're not fucking serious? Wait...oh my God, you're serious," Bigby laughed while I was struggling to keep my composure.

"A group of immortals with incredible powers who pass themselves off as normal humans? I've read Anne Rice and I'd seen the movies. It all fits. You two provided the final piece of evidence that would convince everyone. I followed you two and a woman on one of your after-hours stroll to Central Park. I watched one of you strip down and all three of you assumed the forms of two giant wolves and a fox for a midnight run. That's what vampires can do, right? They change into animals, so seeing it was the final piece of evidence that convinced me you were vampires. You two didn't see me, did you? Thanks to my telephoto lens, I was able to stay far away," Tommy stated as Bigby and I stared him down.

"And yet you were stupid enough to get within easy reach of us now?" I questioned, feeling impressed that this man had the balls to confront us like this in public.

"Only in the daytime when you two have no power over me. You can't mesmerize me, you can't hurt me...um...can you?" Tommy wondered nervously.

"You're crazy...you really think people will believe you? Pictures can easily be altered on the computer," Bigby stated with a scowl after he snuffed out his smoke.

"Play it that way if you insist, but you and Mr. Pierce don't have long to get your sides of the story on the record before I publish," Tommy warned, causing me to glare at him for threatening us.

"You know what, asshole? Go to hell, because what you are doing is slander and if you publish that crap, it'll be libel and I have half a mind to sue you if that happens," I stated sternly.

"Here's my card. Call me if you change your minds, and don't think for a moment that either of you can catch up to me after the sun goes down. I know how it works...I'll be safely home by then and vampires can't enter my personal residence without my permission. I'm not afraid of you two, I'm really not," Tommy declared as he handed us a business card.

Bigby and I stormed into the building and I ran my hand through my hair out of anger.

"Fucking asshole! Bastard has a hell of a lot of nerve threatening us like that!" I snapped in outrage while I took a few deep breaths to calm down.

"I know, but we need to deal with this problem before Mr. Sharp is able to expose us," Bigby stated grimly as we went to gather a few people together.

* * *

"We have a serious problem...if Sharp's expose is published, our life in this world is effectively over. Even if no one officially believes the story, enough crazy Mundies, and Goth vampire wannabes will," Bigby said darkly while Bluebeard, Jack, Flycatcher, Bufkin, Casey, and Boy Blue listened.

"So what's the problem? We should kill this guy just like that poor bastard who found out about us in the twenties. I know how to make it look like a suicide," Bluebeard offered, but I shook my head.

"That's not how we do things anymore, even though I was very tempted to do it in broad daylight. We now live in the digital age where Tommy Sharp is too well known on the internet, and everything is connected through information. Even if we kill him in a way that no one suspects it to be murder, there's no guarantee he doesn't have somebody holding on to the evidence and who will release it on the internet if something were to happen to Mr. Sharp," I pointed out.

"Shouldn't Miss White know about this, since she is the Deputy Mayor?" Boy Blue wondered in confusion.

"Snow's still recovering from being shot, so any kind of stress wouldn't be good for her right now...and not to mention that we could quite possibly be committing illegal activities. As long as she's still recovering, it's better that she doesn't know about this," Bigby stated gruffly while he lit up a smoke and puffed on it.

"So, what do we do?" Flycatcher asked us.

"You two look like you already have a plan in mind," Bluebeard pitched in.

"We need to move fast tonight, but first we have to find out where Prince Charming is staying at these days...and we'll need Briar Rose's help," I said calmly.

"Sleeping Beauty? Why? What do you both have in mind?" Jack inquired curiously.

"A plan worthy of a person such as yourself Jack, except that this one has a possibility of success. When you tried your Dot Com scam four months ago, just how good did your computer skills get?" Bigby asked and Jack started to reply.

* * *

After explaining the plan, Bigby, Bluebeard, Casey, Jack, Boy Blue, Bufkin, and I located Prince Charming and Briar Rose to explain the situation. Then, Charming drove Rose to the hotel where Sharp was staying at and he met up with us nearby.

"She's in," Charming notified us.

"Copy that...now we wait," I whispered.

"Then can we wait back in your car? In case you haven't noticed Nate, it's fucking freezing out here," Jack complained while he was rubbing his gloved hands.

"Suck it the hell up, Jack. We need to be patient until the time comes...we have to give Briar Rose's enchantment time to work. As its effects spread out, everyone in the building should fall asleep. Every person in every apartment along with their dogs, cats, gerbils, and parakeets will be out cold, and that is when we move," I told him while we heading to the building. When we got there, we joined Bigby, who was leaning against the wall, lighting up a smoke.

"We thought you were cold," Bigby remarked as Jack and Casey came over to stand next to us.

"Bluebeard won't let me smoke in Charming's limo. Can I bum a smoke off you?" Jack inquired, prompting Bigby to hand him a smoke and light it up.

"When are you going to learn to support your own disgusting habits?" Bigby wondered.

"It's been almost an hour now. Can we go in?" Jack asked impatiently.

"Not now. If we go in too soon, then we'll fall under the sleeping spell ourselves," I explained while Casey leaned against me.

"How will we know when it is safe?" Jack asked.

"We'll know because Deputy Pierce and I will know, then we'll tell the rest of you," Bigby stated.

"So...does this nut job actually think we're vampires?" Jack wondered in confusion.

"Apparently so...the man is such a dumbass for coming up with that. I've been called many things over the centuries, but I wasn't expecting to be called a vampire by a Mundy," I remarked.

"That's kinda cool...if we were vampires, we'd all be rich," Jack commented.

"Yeah? How so?" Bigby inquired.

"Think about this...vampires make more vampires just by sucking people's blood, right? You know how much these Mundy fucks would pay to someone who could make them immortal?" Jack told us.

"Okay Jack, you get that damn thought out of your head," I said sternly.

"What? I was just thinking-" Jack tried to defend himself.

"You just realized that you could make use of the same old pictures of yourself and the rest of us that Sharp found to convince gullible, rich Mundies that you are a vampire and cheat them out of their money," Bigby accused.

"What?! How did-" Jack sputtered.

"Jack...have you forgotten that we've known you for centuries? We've gotten to know you well enough that we fully understand how you think, so get that thought out of your head or we'll have you locked up for a century," I warned firmly.

"Dammit, guys!" Jack cried in disbelief just as I noticed thorns starting to grow up the tree that was next to us.

"Quiet, Jack. The thorn growing phase has just started," Bigby pointed out and said, "It's time to go in."

The plan was for Bigby, Casey, Boy Blue, and I to go into Sharp's apartment to get the evidence while the others get the security tapes and made sure no one walked into the building. Eventually, we made it to the seventh floor and arrived at the apartment. Jack broke the doorknob and we entered the apartment. Casey and I were told to watch the hallway and wait until the others got what they were looking for.

"So, the only two Fabletown cops breaking the law in order to keep the community safe...who would've bloody thought," Casey remarked and I chuckled.

"Yeah...talk about irony at its finest," I agreed just as Bigby exited the apartment with an unhappy expression.

"We have a serious problem," Bigby stated.

"Oh, crap...please tell us that you and the others found the evidence?" I asked hesitantly as we all entered the apartment.

"We found the evidence and Jack deleted the ones on his computer, but we're pretty sure Sharp would've backed up all of his files about us and stored them somewhere else," Bigby notified us grimly.

"Motherfucker...of course he did. Well, is there any way to find the backup?" I inquired.

"Unfortunately no. Jack told me and the others that Sharp sent several cryptic emails and visited several people before he approached us, so we have no idea who he may have trusted with this information, if anyone," Bigby said, and I threw up my hands in frustration.

"Goddammit. So much for this being easy...well, time to inform Bluebeard about the bad news," I said reluctantly, knowing that things were going to get ugly.

* * *

"Jesus, Bluebeard! Put that fucking gun away!" Bigby shouted in disbelief as Bluebeard aimed a gun at an unconscious Sharp, causing me to pull out my gun and aim at him.

"Why? Since we can't be certain we've destroyed all of Sharp's files, we need to implement a more drastic solution. So, let's kill him and be done with it," Bluebeard suggested coldly.

"Do you even hear yourself?! Think logically for a second! Sharp's not stupid and he probably made sure that if something were to happen to him, his accomplice would send all of the evidence to every news agency in the country! If there is one thing I had learned over the centuries is that not every problem can be solved with a bullet, so put the gun down!" I ordered firmly while aiming at Bluebeard's head.

Bluebeard scoffed and holstered the gun while he said, "Very well then...since you and the others don't have the stomach to make the harsh choices, then I won't force it. I assume you and Sheriff Wolf have an alternate plan to deal with this?"

"Actually, it's my plan," Jack chimed in after I put my gun away.

"Then it's sure to succeed, just like every other scheme you've concocted over the centuries," Bluebeard pointed out sarcastically as we all left the bathroom, where Sharp had fallen asleep on the toilet.

"Can the chatter. We have a lot of work to do and not much time to do it...Jack, you, Casey, and Boy Blue get Tommy Sharp ready for travel. Bluebeard, get back down to the lobby and make sure no one gets in since the entire population of the city could be down there right now," Bigby instructed.

"And I'd still be there if I had any confidence in you and Deputy Pierce," Bluebeard grumbled.

"So you keep saying, AD Nauseam," I remarked dryly as Bigby and I went to enter the Sharp's darkroom.

"What happened to you two since the Exile? When did they tame you both? Or was your formerly savage natures always counterfeit? A combination of bluster and deft public relations?" Bluebeard wondered.

"I've done things in my immortal life that I'm not proud of...now drop it," I warned darkly.

"Or you'll rip my throat out, or kill me, or blah blah blah? You and Wolf have said it all before, Pierce. Both of your constant use of "or else" has grown tedious. Hasn't anyone ever told you two that threats lose their impact when so often repeated without ever actually acting on one of them?" Bluebeard questioned.

"We haven't acted on our threats because you back down and will always do it. You might think you're a tough guy by butchering helpless married women or shooting an unconscious man who's on the toilet, but you are nothing more than a coward who hides behind a lifetime of wealth and privilege...believe me when I say that if we wanted you dead, you'll be dead. The only reason you are alive is that your money keeps Fabletown functioning, so watch yourself or do you want to test us? Because eliminating you would be doing the entire world a favor," I threatened coldly as we stared each other down.

When Bluebeard didn't say anything, I said, "That's what we thought...if you're done pissing yourself from fear, tuck your tail and be the submissive Omega that you are. Sheriff Wolf and I are the Alphas here, so it would be in your best interest to know your place in the pack."

We left the darkroom and everyone exited the apartment and took the elevator to the lobby. Arriving at the lobby, we left the elevator with Sharp and the evidence as Charming was lifting Briar up in his arms.

"Alright everyone, we don't have a lot of time so let's get out of here before someone notices the thorns covering the building. Make sure we got everyone and everything we're taking with us. The last thing we need is some Mundy cop to show up and see us moving bodies out of the building," Bigby said as we all left the building.

"How long are these thorns going to keep growing?" Bluebeard questioned.

"As long as Briar Rose remains asleep, I think. Did she gain weight since she left the Homelands?" Charming wondered as we headed to his limo and my car.

Bigby and the others went into the limo while Casey and I got into my car to follow them.

"So, what's next?" Casey asked as I followed the limo.

"All we can do now is try to figure out where Sharp sent the evidence and take it off any sites he may have posted it on...I hope we do or we'll be forced to resort to drastic measures," I stated uneasily as we headed back to the Woodland.

* * *

After we were done with locking up Sharp and waking Briar up, Bigby and I went down to see Tommy awake and groaning in pain.

"Time to wake up, Mr. Sharp," Bigby announced as Tommy sat up and clutched his head.

"Oh, God...my head. What happened to me? I feel like someone drugged me," Tommy groaned.

"Which is what we did, more or less," I stated bluntly, causing Tommy to quickly look up at us with a look of shock.

"Oh my God, it's you two! How did you get me?! What the fuck did you do?!" Tommy demanded.

"You may want to look at your neck," Bigby said as he handed him a small mirror, Tommy looking at the two puncture wounds on his neck in horror.

"Oh Jesus! What the hell did you sick bastards do to me?!" Tommy cried in distress.

"We're vampires, Mr. Sharp. You should know already what we did to you," I said stoically, and Tommy's eyes widened in realization.

"You drank my blood...oh Lord help me," Tommy breathed in disbelief.

"Calm down. We didn't drink enough to turn you into one of us so you're fine, but now we will be able to control you if we wanted to, and you've seen the movies to know how that works," Bigby said.

"I only wanted a big story...I didn't mean any harm," Tommy whimpered.

"This place is a private community where we want to be left alone, so we don't appreciate it when an outsider comes into our business and threatens to expose us. What do you think would happen if we were exposed? We would be hunted down by humans and they would kill us out of fear," I said grimly.

"What are you two going to do to me?" Tommy questioned nervously.

"We won't do anything as long as you keep our existence quiet. But if you expose us, then you will give us no choice but to make you kill yourself," I warned sternly.

"I didn't mean to cause any harm to you people...I liked you all and hearing your stories, it made me see that you all are people like me. I couldn't help it when I thought about how big of a story your community would be...I'm truly sorry for causing so much grief," Tommy reasoned.

"You won't be posting a story about us...and Mr. Sharp, if you already sent it to someone...if any part of your story gets out from someone else, you'll wish we killed you. We'll destroy your reputation, make your kids, your family, and both of your ex-wives hate you...and all of your loyal readers, too," Bigby stated as I handed him a brown paper bag and felt sick for what we were about to show him.

"Wh-why? How? What the hell are you two going to do?" Tommy questioned dreadfully while Bigby took out pictures from the bag.

"Take a good look at these and you'll see just how far we are willing to go," Bigby instructed as he handed the pictures to Tommy.

"Oh...God," Tommy whimpered in horror at the sight of Pinocchio doing sexual acts while Tommy was out cold.

"What have you done? What the fuck did you make me do?" Tommy asked quietly as tears welled up.

"That little boy in the pictures with you is immortal, over three hundred years old...but he looks no more than eight or nine, especially the way we dress him up," I notified him, struggling to keep my composure.

"I never did this...I'm not...I couldn't have," Tommy sobbed as he broke down in front of us.

"What will people think about you when this gets out? Even in our Libertine Era, this form of conduct is nothing more than revolting. Here's an extensive and detailed forensic interview with a child psychologist. Two solid hours of it, especially the part where he points out all of the places you touched him...he's very convincing," Bigby stated as he took out a videotape and placed it on the bed.

"You can't do this to me! This kind of thing, even if it's proven false, destroys a person's life!" Tommy shouted in distress while he laid down on the bed and curled up into a vulnerable state.

"Yes it does, but if you start to feel sorry for yourself, remember that you were the one to get yourself into this situation in the first place..." I stated as I went to leave.

I left the cell and went upstairs, entering my apartment on the second floor just as Casey followed behind me.

"Nate? Are you okay?" Casey inquired in concern, but I didn't say anything as I went to the bathroom.

I went in and immediately went for the toilet, kneeling in front of it and expelling my lunch out of sheer revulsion for what I had done. I felt Casey laying a hand on my back and rubbing it while I was heaving in horror and disgust at my actions. Once I was done, I flushed the toilet and headed to the sink to wash my mouth. I finished up and headed to the sofa to sit down. As Casey sat down next to me, I looked at my hands and trembled.

"Nate? Talk to me," Casey encouraged, causing me to look at her with a haunting expression.

"What the hell have we become? How far are we willing to go?" I questioned in self-loathing.

Casey didn't say anything, but just held me as I broke down, and comforted me as I sobbed and recalled all of the horrific things I had done in the past.

* * *

(One week later)

"You let him move in with you?" Bigby questioned dubiously while we stared at Briar.

"It's not like that. He's in a guest room," Briar stated.

"The biggest one, I suppose," I remarked as I signed a few case files.

"Sheriff Wolf, Deputy Pierce, can we please get to the part why I'm here?" Briar asked impatiently.

"We were just catching up on some paperwork when one detail kept bothering us about your incident back at Tiffany's. We had some trouble waking you up last week, but we never figured out how they woke you in that public store and how no one noticed anything odd about it," Bigby pointed out thoughtfully.

"One of the...uh...police officers who responded to the situation, he had German Shepherd...a very affectionate German Shepherd. I woke up to him licking my face," Briar explained while blushing.

"Let me guess, the dog's name was Prince?" I inquired while trying hard not to laugh.

"If either of you so much as tells anyone about this, I'll make you regret it," Briar threatened in embarrassment, much to our amusement.

I still felt guilty about what Bigby and I had done to Sharp, and I hoped the man would be okay since what Bigby and I did would stay with me for the rest of my immortal life. It seemed that he had made the decision to keep his observations to himself since we had heard nothing else from him since that night.

I turned my attention back to the case at hand with a sigh, and a small smile at Briar's admission about Prince. I guess Sharp wasn't the only one who could keep a secret.


	7. Chapter 7

Bullfinch Street, Manhattan, New York City, 2004.

It had been an entire year since the Sharp incident and throughout that time, I had discovered that he was found murdered in Central Park and the case had gone cold due to a lack of evidence. I knew that Bluebeard was responsible but I couldn't do anything about it since I was unable to find anything that proved he was the killer, so the only thing I felt was frustration and guilt that Sharp was dead and that he would never get justice for his death. As for the trial in the Farm, Dun and Posey were found guilty and were sentenced to death by beheading due to their crimes against the Fabletown Government and attempted murder of a police officer. For Weyland, he quit being the Farm's owner and moved to the city while Rose was given a second chance by becoming the Farm's new owner for saving Snow's life. Finally, Casey and I were still very much in love and were considering getting married and having kits, since I was thinking about wanting to be a father again.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this, Snow?" Bigby asked as we were heading to a restaurant.

"You'd said you would stop babying me the day I could walk three times up and down Bullfinch Street under my own power without using the wheelchair. Well, come hell or high water, this is that day, and I'm damn well going to hold you to your promise," Snow declared while Casey and I laughed quietly in amusement.

"Tired of his company so soon?" I quipped with a wolfish grin, causing Snow to roll her eyes.

"Company is one thing, Mr. Pierce, but months of constant hovering by Mr. Wolf is something else entirely. I want things back to normal, with you and Mr. Wolf in your office and me in mine," Snow grumbled.

"Easy enough for you to say, with an office the size of a...who knows how big it actually is? Most of the branching passages still haven't been explored yet," Bigby stated while puffing on his smoke.

"We'll get to it someday," Snow said.

"Anyway, the Sheriff and I are stuck in that box that makes a closet look spacious," I remarked dryly, causing Casey to chuckle in amusement.

"Poor Bigby and Nate. You two can still visit me once a week for our regular security briefings. Speaking of which, why don't you two fill me in now as long as I'm stuck doing my laps," Snow suggested.

"Well, there's not much to report. None of the Fables living abroad in the wide world seem to be acting up from what we can tell," Bigby informed Snow.

"This according to your so-called "Tourists"?" Snow inquired.

"Yes Ma'am, but we need to remind you that with only three field agents covering the entire Mundy world, they can only do so much," I informed her.

"Forget it, Nate. We are not going to turn this into another argument about your operating budgets," Snow stated which prompted me to raise my hands in surrender.

"Just voicing my concerns, Ma'am. We can only do so much with only three operatives, so I just wanted to give my opinion on the matter," I reasoned.

"Let's change the subject. How are things going at the Farm?" Snow asked.

"Things appeared to have returned to normal, more or less. Your sister seems to be doing a half-decent job of running it, so Rose has basically blossomed now that she's no longer in your shadow," Bigby remarked as we all went inside the Yellow Brick restaurant, taking our seats and ordering our meals.

"Can either of you keep the editorializing to a minimum, please?" Snow suggested as the waiter handed us our menus.

"Yes, Ma'am. As for Goldilocks, she's still on the run and the trail has gone completely cold now. Things are also secure here on the homefront, except..." I trailed off while I sipped my water.

"Yes? What is it?" Snow encouraged gently.

"We're not sure this falls under the umbrella of "official business", or if it only qualifies as gossip, but..." Bigby said and Snow looked annoyed at the constant stalling.

"Oh for God's sake, you two. Will you just get to it?" Snow grumbled irritably.

"Sorry...anyway, Prince Charming has moved in with wife number three Briar Rose, but only in one of her guestrooms, according to what we heard from our sources," I notified her.

"No, our Sleeping Beauty was wife number two. First me, then Briar, then Cinderella," Snow clarified and I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment.

"Sorry...my mistake. In any case, he seems to have taken up with her again...probably looking to steal from her bank account," I muttered the last part dryly.

"Yes, that does sound like him. It's none of my concern as long as it keeps him far away from me. If she can put up with him, then more power to both of them," Snow huffed.

"That's a good attitude to have, keeping yourself clear of any further entanglements with that pompous dickhead. Which of course keeps you free to receive gentlemen of better character, although with less refinement than you're used to," Bigby remarked with a wolfish grin.

"Oh my God, will you just drop it already? How many times do I have to explain it to you that I'm not interested? The cupboard is bare, no bone for the old dog," Snow groaned in exasperation, rolling her eyes.

"I don't know Princess, but keep trying until you come up with a way that actually convinces me," Bigby teased and Snow whipped her head at me with a glare.

"Did you put him up to this?" Snow accused, causing me to lean back at the intense look.

"Whoa, why the hell are you accusing me? I didn't know he was planning this, so how was I supposed to know?" I stated defensively while holding my hands up.

"He's your son, so you should know what he's planning," Snow retorted.

"Snow...just because he's my son, doesn't mean I'm with him 24/7. Um, Casey, a little help?" I pleaded as I looked at my mate.

"This is between you and her, so leave me out of it," Casey replied, looking uncomfortable at being put in the spotlight.

 _"Goddamnit,"_ I thought as Snow kept sending me a glare.

* * *

After the scene in the restaurant, we finished up our food and headed back home just as it was getting dark. Casey and I headed to our apartment. Soon after we entered, we went to the bedroom. My uniform disappeared and Casey took her clothes off before we climbed into bed.

"Well...that was bloody interesting," Casey remarked as we laid down and held each other close.

"I know it's rude to talk about someone behind their back, but how does Snow expect me to know what goes on inside Bigby's head? It's ridiculous," I muttered and Casey kissed me.

"Aww, is my little puppy pouting? How adorable," Casey teased with a sly grin, causing me to shoot her an unamused expression.

"Oh God, please don't call me that since it's demeaning...sometimes I wonder if your brother wasn't a bad influence on you before we met," I grumbled just as Casey rolled us around so that she was on top of me.

"Well, you don't need to worry since it's almost time...you remember what we talked about? About what season it is?" Casey inquired with a foxy grin.

"Yeah...it's spring which means that mating season is coming very soon," I murmured as she grinded on my cock and moaned slightly.

"Mmm...yes...I can't wait for you to see just how wild I can be when mating season happens, and I also can't wait until the time comes for us to have kits," Casey whispered as she leaned down and locked lips with me.

We kept kissing while I caressed Casey's slender torso, enjoying the moment. I was eager for mating season, but we stopped kissing and pulled the blankets over us so we could get some sleep. I closed my eyes and drifted off for an unknown amount of time, but was suddenly awakened when I heard somebody knocking on the door.

"Uuuugghh...who is it?!" I called out groggily which also woke up Casey.

"Nate? What the bloody hell are you shouting about?" Casey groaned as we sat up.

"Somebody's knocking on the door...hold on, let me go see who it is," I muttered as I got out of bed and my uniform appeared on me.

I headed to the door and opened it, feeling surprised and a little irritated when I saw Bigby and Snow standing in the hallway with tired expressions.

"Bigby? Snow? God, what time is it..." I trailed off as I looked at my watch and added, "ugh...it's almost daylight. Why are you two waking me up at this hour?"

"Sorry about this Deputy, but Bluebeard needs to see us for an urgent matter...he also wanted you to bring Casey along as well, God knows why," Bigby muttered just as a fully dressed Casey approached.

"Nate? What's going on?" Casey questioned in confusion.

"Apparently his 'Royal Highness' Bluebeard needs us for something...and he wants you to be there as well," I grumbled.

"What? Why does that bloody arsehole need us this early in the morning?" Casey asked with a sour expression.

"Who the hell knows...let's just get this over with so that we can go back to bed," I stated as we left the apartment, following Bigby and Snow.

 _"I don't care if that prick is this community's benefactor...this better be important or I'm going to have words with that asshole for waking us up and wasting our time,"_ I thought in displeasure as we all arrived at Bluebeard's office.

We went inside to see Bluebeard standing next to his desk with the same smug grin I always hated, looking at us and nodding once in greeting.

"Ah, I'm glad you all are here so let's get started," Bluebeard said gleefully, which gave me a bad feeling.

"Okay, we're here...now will you tell us what's so important that you had to drag us all out of bed long before normal business hours?" Snow inquired while Bigby lit up a smoke.

"You'll be glad I did, Miss White. Look at this," Bluebeard said as he showed us a small bottle with a cork.

"Alright, we'll bite...what the hell is that?" Bigby inquired suspiciously.

"Something Jack tried to sell me last night at the Branstock. He claims it's highly magical and he can supply a case of them," Bluebeard explained.

"That is a clear violation of the requirement to turn in all significant magical artifacts for communal ownership and safe storage in the Business Office," Snow stated, but I wasn't paying attention since this whole thing screamed danger to me and I didn't know why.

"Well, wait until you see what it does," Bluebeard said and my eyes widened in realization when he was about to open the bottle.

"Shit! It's a trap!" I tried to warn, but it was too late.

Bluebeard opened the bottle and a green cloud hit Casey, Snow, Bigby, and I before anyone could react...then it all went fuzzy and I felt confused and disoriented, standing in front of Bluebeard with a blank stare.

"All better now? Listen up then, because here are your orders for the next few days..." Bluebeard started to say and we all nodded.

* * *

"And remember...if by chance you all manage to survive, everything is Jack's fault," Bluebeard finished instructing as we all left the office and went our separate ways.

It was then that I felt lucid again and I shook my head while trying to figure out what had happened.

"Nate? Are you okay?" Casey asked in concern as she rested a hand on my arm.

"Yeah...I'm fine...what were we doing again? I've seem to have forgotten why we got out of bed in the first place," I stated as we were heading back to our apartment.

"We were planning on taking a vacation so we went to see Snow about it," Casey clarified.

"That's right, we were just talking to Snow about wanting to get away from the city to take a vacation," I muttered, but something didn't seem right about what I just said.

"Well, let's get packed and ready to go tomorrow. What do you think about camping?" Casey offered and I looked thoughtful as we entered our apartment.

"Camping sounds good since I haven't done that in so long, not to mention that it would be good to get away from civilization for a while," I agreed as we went to grab food and clothes that were suited for camping.

As we took out our suitcases, I still had a feeling that something was wrong and I couldn't figure it out but I forced it into the back of my mind and kept packing for the trip. Casey and I finished and went back to bed, and were soon asleep, looking forward to tomorrow.


	8. Chapter 8

Bullfinch Street, Manhattan, New York City, 2004.

After waking up the next morning, I conjured up casual clothing consisting of a black t-shirt, blue flannel shirt, grey cargo pants, and brown work boots as Casey got dressed. Then we took our suitcases and left the apartment, heading to the lobby where, surprisingly, Snow and Bigby were waiting.

"Snow, Bigby? Why the hell are you two packed up?" I inquired when I saw them also carrying suitcases.

"Well, we were thinking of getting away from the city and joining you on a camping trip if that's okay?" Snow offered.

"Why the bloody hell not? The more the merrier as my darling brother always used to say," Casey agreed and we left the building together.

"What about King Cole? Won't he be wondering where we are?" I wondered, having a strange feeling that something was wrong.

"I already talked to him and told him about all of us leaving the city for a few days, so you don't need to worry Nate," Snow reassured while we approached my car.

I loaded the luggage into the trunk and closed it, then got into the car with the others and drove us away from Bullfinch Street. At the airport, we checked our luggage, bought tickets for Seattle and boarded the plane. We sat a few rows away from Snow and Bigby, and we had to deal with a baby crying behind us during the entire flight as Casey and I sat next to each other.

Finally, the plane arrived and we all picked up our luggage at the baggage claim, rented an SUV and drove to a nearby sporting goods store and bought a tent and other camping equipment. We loaded up the SUV and set off for a forested region around a beautiful lake.

"I can pitch my own tent, Bigby," Snow pointed out while Bigby was working on setting up the tent.

"I know you can Snow, but I'm doing it for you," Bigby stated while hammering in another stake.

"Why didn't you, Nate, and Casey buy tents for yourselves?" Snow questioned as she crossed her arms and arched a brow.

"You don't need to worry about us, Ma'am. We are more than comfortable with getting back in touch with our natural habitats," I assured, feeling eager to shed my human skin and run around in my wolf form.

"Well, we'll let you two work on setting up the campsite while Nate and I go hunting," Casey suggested while we left the campsite and headed into the forest.

Once we were far enough away, I shifted into my giant wolf form as Casey shifted into her fox form. I shook my fur and huffed with a wolfish grin, enjoying the sensation of being back in my natural form after being human again for 28 years. I looked down to see Casey staring up at me in awe at my large size and I leaned my head down to nudge her slightly, which caused her to stumble back from the playful headbutt.

"Hey! You big puppy, you are far larger than I am!" Casey protested in mock anger as I grinned.

 **"Well, let's see if you can outrun this big bad wolf, my little vixen,"** I growled eagerly as I went into a pouncing position with a playful bow, and my tail twitched in anticipation.

Casey yipped excitingly and zipped off into the bushes, prompting me to change into a smaller size so that I could give her a fair fight. I rushed after her, my tongue lolling out as I recalled the Homelands and how much of a thrill it was to chase down my prey.

 _"God...I truly miss this,"_ I thought while memories of the Black Forest and Winter ran through my mind.

I eventually caught up with Casey and lunged at her, shifting into the form of a red fox in mid-air as I tackled her to the ground and we rolled around while yipping and nipping each other playfully. I managed to pin her down and nuzzle her furry neck, causing Casey to whine in bliss and I let her up so that she could pounce me.

We kept playfighting to get our adrenaline up and I could smell Casey's heat coming in as she yipped and whined, prompting me to get off of her and she showed her haunches at me while fanning her tail to send her delicious scent at me. I growled as my arousal hit me, my cock coming out of my sheath and hardening as Casey looked back with a seductive grin.

"Well, my handsome Tod...do you think you can handle this vixen?" Casey teased as I went over to lean in and inhale her scent deeply, my pupils enlarging due to my instincts overpowering me.

"B-before we mate and have kits...there's something I want to do that I think you'll enjoy," I breathed heavily as I pushed her down gently and hovered over her.

I concentrated and Casey's form started altering while she gasped in shock, her slender shape growing taller and more humanoid, her paws forming into hands with pads, her torso slimming down into curves while breasts formed on her chest, legs snapping into a digitigrade stance, and her arms growing into a humanoid shape while I also changed into a fox with human characteristics.

Casey looking up at me after examining herself in amazement and she placed her newly formed hands on my lean torso so that she could gently run them across my hard abs and toned pecs, which caused me to shiver in pleasure at the blissful contact.

"Nate...how the bloody hell did you do that?" Casey gasped in astonishment.

"I just simply extended my shape-shifting to you, a form of magic that my kind is capable of doing...I can change people into different shapes if I wanted to, but I wanted to do this since I know you would enjoy this so much more," I explained while leaning forward to kiss her passionately.

It was strange and awkward kissing Casey at first with a muzzle, but I got used to it and it felt good and exotic in a way that made this all the more better. I cupped Casey's new breasts and gently massaged them while continuing to nibble at her neck, causing her to moan and yip at the new sensations while I pressed my cock against her pussy and rubbed slowly.

I ran my hands up and down her curves while gently nipping one of her ears, causing her to arch her back with a moan while wrapping her arms around my neck in bliss. Casey clawed my back gently and I growled slightly from the feeling of her nails running down my back, then I stopped and looked at her panting form with my glowing eyes just before I used my flexibility to lean forward and run my tongue up her legs.

I reached Casey's most intimate area and she threw her head back and howled while I slowly licked her pussy, her legs wrapping around my head and pushing me even deeper so that I could make her feel even more pleasure. Casey kept gasping and moaning while her scent was driving me nuts, then I had an idea to make things more intense for her as I took her waist. Just as she was about to reach the edge, I pulled away and shot her a playful grin while she whimpered in distress.

"You fuckin' muppet, don't torture me like this!" Casey screamed in frustration.

I flashed her another sly grin and dove back in without warning, causing her to scream since she was much more sensitive. I kept lapping at her pussy until she howled in ecstasy, her orgasm hitting her hard while I lapped up her juices that were coming out. I eventually pulled back and waited for her to recover, a little concerned that it was a little much for her and that she was too spent for us to get to the best part, but my concerns went away when she looked at me with eyes glazed over from lust and pleasure.

"I need you," Casey stated breathlessly, prompting me to move up until our vulpine noses were touching and I slowly pushed inside.

Casey let out a guttural moan and rolled her hips to match my rhythm, passionately kissing me while I thrust slowly and groaned from the intense experience as I lifted her up so that we were in a mastery position. I let my instincts take control and it turned into snarling and yipping as I ground my knot against her, Casey running her hands up to my cheeks so that she could crash her lips onto mine and we let out muffled erotic groans as I pounded her hard.

Casey suddenly pushed me onto the ground and she straddled me with a sly grin and I didn't protest since she looked even more beautiful at this angle. Casey's confidence and playful personality had always been something I found incredibly attractive since she just knew how to make you laugh or smile while you are in a bad place. I placed my hands on her hips and she rode me roughly until she leaned forward so that our chests were pressed against each other. Casey nibbled my neck, causing me to close my eyes and groan.

I sat up and pushed Casey upright until we were sitting again, wrapping our arms against each other in a desperation to merge into one being despite it being impossible. We kept thrusting, the forest being disturbed by our sounds of loud animalistic snarling, growling, yipping, and whines of lust as I was growing closer to the end and roughly shoved in my knot.

I snarled ferally as I thrust even harder and faster, Casey throwing her head back to scream and I latched my sharp teeth onto her shoulder. Casey also bit down on my shoulder and the pain made me slam my cock inside even harder than physically possible since I felt so good, feral, and a primal beast whose only purpose is to breed this vixen.

I was then that my knot swelled up to lock me inside just as we howled uncontrollably, my orgasm crashing hard as my seed shot into Casey and I regained myself as we collapsed beside each other and gasped heavily.

"Oh...bollocks...Nate...there are no words to describe how wild that was...I love you," Casey breathed out while we nuzzled each other.

"I love you too...I never thought that this would happen to me," I muttered, catching Casey's attention.

"What do you mean?" Casey inquired, and I sighed while I was thinking about how Winter passed away.

"Ever since I lost Winter, I just...I didn't think about moving on since it was so hard to move on from my grief, then I found you and it made me realize that I was just wasting my life away and Winter wouldn't want that. Honestly, after finding you, maybe there really is hope for me in this world...not to mention that we have kits on the way to look after," I stated while gently rubbing her stomach, causing her to purr as our tails coiled around each other.

"Hmmm...I can't wait," Casey murmured as we held each other close and fell fast asleep.

* * *

(three days later)

"Oh, oh, Nate, keep fuckin' rutting me! Breed me and give us kits!" Casey howled as I pounded her while she was on all fours and orgasmed, clamping my jaws on her shoulder as she yipped in pleasure.

It had been three days since we had gone camping and we made the most of it by playing, hunting, and mating since a female fox's heat lasts about three days and Casey wanted to be sure that she got pregnant. I had never known that Casey could be so rough and wild during mating season, but I sure as hell wasn't complaining since I hadn't experienced something so intense before and I wanted to enjoy it while it lasts.

After my knot tied us together, we slumped to the ground and held each other with soft smiles...then something suddenly clicked in my head and I immediately looked around in confusion before my eyes widened at seeing myself tied to Casey, who was also looking at me in shock as I blushed under my fur at seeing Casey as an anthro fox.

"What the hell?! Casey?! W-What the fuck is going on and why are we tied together?!" I exclaimed in alarm and panic.

"Don't look at me! I don't know where the bloody hell we are, how we got here or why we're tied together!" Casey shouted until she got a good look at herself and added, "What the...why the bollocks do we look like a mixture of humans and foxes?! Nate, what the blooming hell did you do?!"

"I don't know! All I remember is us leaving the apartment for something and the next thing I know, I find myself tied to you in the middle of the woods somewhere and from the smell of things, we had sex...a lot of sex," I muttered the last part in sheer embarrassment while feeling like I wanted to die from how awkward this was.

"Well...when I said I wanted to have kits with you, this was not how I pictured it happening...wait, where the bloody hell are we?" Casey wondered as she looked around in confusion.

"We seem to be in a forest somewhere and I don't think it's Central Park or I would've heard the sounds of cars driving...I somehow have the feeling that we're not in New York anymore so God knows where we are," I said as my knot softened and I pulled out while shivering in pleasure.

We got up as I shifted back to my human form and changed Casey back to her normal fox form, the two of us looking around and I caught the scents of Bigby and Snow after sniffing the air.

"I smell Bigby and Snow over to the south, so we should find them and try to figure out what the fuck happened because something tells me that Jack is responsible for this," I grumbled while adjusting my flannel shirt.

"Jack? That arsehole is behind this?! What the hell did he do to us?!" Casey exclaimed in outrage, looking beyond pissed off.

"I'm thinking that he put some kind of enchantment on us along with Bigby and Snow, God knows why...I swear I'm going to have a few words with that dickhead for pranking us like this," I muttered in displeasure as we eventually arrived at a lake with a campsite of some kind where Bigby was quickly getting dressed in a black t-shirt and shorts with a look of urgency.

"Bigby!" I called out to him, and Bigby seemed confused when he saw us.

"Dad? Casey? What the hell are you two doing here and how did you get here? Wait, where the hell are we?" Bigby questioned in disbelief.

"Let me guess, you don't remember how you got here, right?" I inquired sarcastically.

"No...wait, what the fuck is that smell?" Bigby wondered while sniffing the air, his eyes widening when he looked at us.

"Okay...long story short, Casey and I found ourselves...together if you know what I mean," I deadpanned as he blushed in embarrassment.

"Anyway, we should find Snow and figure out how we got here," Casey pitched in and we nodded in agreement.

Seeing the campsite that was nearby, we went to it and looked around for any clue that could tell us how we got here...then we found four plane tickets that told us we left New York and arrived in Seattle so I deduced that we were either somewhere in the Cascade Mountains, or the Olympics which made me wonder what had happened for us to travel a few thousand miles from home just to go camping.

Once we were done looking around, Bigby looked inside the tent to find Snow asleep and woke her up by banging a frying pan against one of the tent supports.

"Huh? What the hell are you doing, Bigby?" Snow groaned groggily as she poked her head out.

"Time to get up Snow, we got problems. Piss, wash up and get dressed, whatever the fuck your morning routine is because we need to get moving pronto," Bigby urged as Snow crawled out of the tent.

"Where are we, why am I in a tent, and what are Nate and Casey doing here?" Snow questioned in confusion as she struggled to stand up.

"We don't know Ma'am, but it looks like we've been camping here for two or three days. We had a good look through our equipment before waking you. We all got canceled one-way plane tickets from New York to Seattle, so our guess is that we're somewhere in the Cascade Mountains but it could be the Olympics.

All this gear is new and was purchased from a Seattle outfitters store called 'Recreational Equipment' including our clothes too," I explained as we gathered food and water.

"So we flew out here with nothing, and decided on a lark to go camping? Together?" Snow asked as Bigby handed her a walking cane.

"It looks that way," Bigby remarked.

"But that's ridiculous because I would never do that!" Snow protested in outrage.

"Of course not, but we were obviously under some kind of enchantment that forced us to come out here and play Ranger Rick. But we're done with that, starting right now Snow. Let's leave this crap behind and with a little luck, anyone watching us will just assume we're going out for a hike and be back shortly," I said as we went to leave the area.

"And just where is it that we are going?" Snow inquired as we went down a path.

"I found keys to a rental car in your gear so it'll be parked somewhere nearby," Bigby replied.

"How can you be sure of that?" Snow asked.

"Because you still can't walk all that well and even under a trance, we wouldn't have been able to pack all of this gear very far from our transportation," Casey stated.

"And just who put us under this spell?" Snow wondered.

"We have no fucking idea, but every instinct tells me that Jack is responsible for this. If so, then it's likely just one of his pranks and nothing serious," Bigby reassured as we rushed down the path.

"Then why are we suddenly running in a panic?" Snow inquired.

"In case it isn't a harmless prank and someone lured us out here with the intention of doing God knows what to us," I answered darkly while I had a feeling that someone was watching us.

* * *

"Here we are," Bigby said as we approached a clearing that had a four-door SUV parked in it.

"Finally, my legs were about to give out...I need to rest," Snow gasped slightly as I opened the driver-side door and got in.

"Just hang in there, Snow. I have a really bad feeling about this situation so we should get the fuck out of here as quickly as possible," Bigby stated as he helped Snow into the back seat while Casey got in.

"Then maybe you should drive for once Bigby," I remarked as I started the truck.

"I don't know how," Bigby said as he got into the passenger seat and I drove us down the dirt road.

"Which is why Nate keeps telling you that you should learn. It's high time you joined the rest of us in the 20th century, Bigby," Snow lectured while I kept my eyes on the road.

"Snow, it's the 21st century now," I reminded her.

"Oh yeah...I forgot they go by so fast," Snow muttered sheepishly just as I picked up the sound of a faint gunshot.

I heard one of the tires blow apart and started swearing as the car swerved out of control, causing the others to cry in alarm.

"Hold on, I'm going to try and brake to a stop!" I informed everyone as we went off the road and went down a hill.

I slammed my foot on the brake while I hit bushes and trees until we went flying off a cliff and rapidly approached a tree.

 _"Shit, not again!"_ I thought in panic as memories of crashing the first time ran through my mind.

The truck smashed into the tree and as the airbags deployed, I fought my way through it to see outside the vehicle and figure out what was happening.

* * *

A/N Nate really doesn't have good luck with cars since this is the second time he crashed, though if you are confused since this is your first time reading the story and not my Wolves Of Fabletown story, I would highly recommend reading it since it explains who Nate is and how he became a Fabletown Deputy. If you all like the story so far, let me know and stay tuned.


	9. Chapter 9

The Cascade Mountains, Washington State, 2004.

I struggled my way past the deflating airbag and climbed out of the car, holding my head.

"Argh...motherfucker, that really hurt...thank God for airbags," I groaned quietly as I turned around to see Snow, Casey, and Bigby out cold from the impact.

"Ah, shit..." I muttered as I opened the back door and carefully took Snow out of the wrecked car, then I placed her down on the ground at a safe distance, then returned and took Bigby out of the passenger seat.

"Fucking hell Bigby...did you put on a little weight?" I grunted and noticed that he had a compound fracture on his left arm as I set him down near Snow, then went back to help Casey out of the car.

I swore under my breath as I got a first-aid kit out of the trunk, then took it over to Bigby, opened it up and took out a roll of bandages and disinfectant. I took Bigby's arm and pulled quickly but steadily to set the bone, instantly waking him up and causing him to howl in pain. As his arm began to heal properly, I disinfected and bandaged the wound site as Bigby groaned in pain and watched me work.

"Dad...what the fuck happened?" Bigby questioned as he carefully sat up and gently clutched his arm.

"We got ambushed by a sniper is what happened, then we crashed and you three blacked out because of the impact. Don't move your arm around too much since you suffered from a compound fracture and I had to reset it back into place," I informed him while I was creating a makeshift arm splint from twine and sticks, just as I secured it on Bigby's arm and went to check on Casey.

"Shit...this brings me back to the time Bloody fucking Mary broke my arm and you had to reset it, funny how the aftermath is similar but the situation is different," Bigby remarked as I saw that Casey was okay.

"Yeah, but we didn't have a sniper trying to kill us during that time but I can clearly recall Mary shooting me in the kevlar vest and I cracked my head open against a brick wall after falling backward," I said while conjuring my gun holster and ammo pouch onto my belt, along with a back up ankle holster for a Glock 26.

"Which reminds me, I don't think us being here was a prank that was concocted by Jack because he's definitely not brave enough to try and kill us after enchanting us to come out here," Bigby stated while I was busy trying to wake up Casey and Snow, just as the sun was beginning to set.

"Yeah...someone put an enchantment on us to lure us out here to kill us, but I don't know why something is telling me that Jack is responsible for this unless whoever is responsible could be setting up Jack in order to draw away suspicion," I theorized as Casey and Snow started stirring and waking up.

"Ugh...Nate? Bloody hell, my head," Casey groaned while I helped her to her feet.

"Hey, I know you are wondering about what is going on but we need to get moving," I said as Bigby helped Snow to her feet.

"Snow? Snow, are you okay?" Bigby said while Snow groaned in pain.

"Are we alive?" Snow inquired as it became dark.

"Thankfully. Lucky us, since the car has taken most of the damage," I replied as I checked to see if Casey had a concussion from the crash.

"Lucky? Hell, thank the Mundies and designing their marvels of modern engineering to take all the damage...at least Casey and I seem to be in one piece," Snow muttered the last part while I kissed Casey in relief when I didn't find anything concerning.

"Me too, except for this," Bigby stated as he gestured to his broken arm, causing Snow to widen her eyes in horror.

"Oh my God, are you okay?!" Snow exclaimed in shock as I pulled out my P226 and did a brass check.

"It'll be fine in a moment thanks to Dad's medical knowledge, and it'll heal itself once I change into my wolf form. Let me just rest for a moment and then we can get the fuck out of here," Bigby said as he rested against a tree.

"Bigby, you're badly injured so we shouldn't be going anywhere for a while," Snow stated in concern.

"We don't have a choice Snow, because we need to get more distance between us and the sniper," I pointed out.

"What sniper?" Snow asked in confusion.

"It wasn't just a flat tire that sent us over the cliff since there was the sound of a gunshot just before the tire blew. You couldn't hear it due to the sound being very far away, though I could hear it since my hearing is very sharp. The fall down the cliff actually brought us some time since it removed us from the sniper's killing zone before he could fire another shot, but that was a while ago and he, whoever the shooter is, might've been tracking us since the crash.

Because of that, we'll need to move out of the hot zone quickly once Bigby and I change into our wolf forms since we can cover a hell of a lot of miles quickly, even with passengers," I explained and Bigby nodded in agreement as I holstered my gun.

"He's right, so help me get undressed since you'll have to carry what's left of my clothes and your stuff if you want me to have something to wear once I change back," Bigby instructed calmly as he removed his shirt.

Snow helped Bigby with the rest of his clothes due to his broken arm, then I stood next to him and we shifted into our giant wolf forms. The two women stared in astonishment as we finished our transformations and shook our fur into place.

"Holy balls Nate...I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing that," Casey breathed in awe as I padded over to her with my tongue lolling out and my head tilted to the right in a cute manner, despite being as tall as a large semi-truck.

 **"It's an incredible sight, isn't it?"** I asked while lowering to my stomach, and she nodded as I added, **"Climb onto my back and hold on since it's going to be a fast and bumpy ride."**

Casey obliged by managing to swing her leg across my back and she grabbed my large furry neck to prevent herself from falling off once I stood up, but I wasn't bothered by her gripping my soft gray fur as I could see Snow also climbing onto Bigby's back and we took off like two blurs through the woods.

"Holy crap!" Snow yelped in a mixture of shock and amazement while we rushed through the forest.

 **"Hang on tight Snow, you can't possibly hurt me,"** Bigby declared while I was enjoying the wind rushing through my fur.

"Damn Nate, this is amazing! Is this how you feel whenever you are in your natural form?!" Casey inquired while we were moving quickly.

 **"Hell yeah! If only you could experience what it's like being so big and strong in this form...it's a feeling like none other,"** I stated while smiling nostalgically.

After traveling for enough time and distance that we felt safely away from the crash site, we came upon a large tree with heavy branches where we hid safely for a few hours of sleep. Bigby and I went to different spots and settled in, curling protectively around our passengers.

"Oh my God!" Snow yelped in alarm, causing Bigby to nudge her shoulder with his head in a gesture to be quiet.

 **"Snow, please stay quiet because we need to get a few hours sleep while it's still dark enough to conceal us, not to mention that you also need rest since we don't know how long we have until the shooter manages to find us,"** Bigby lectured while looking down at her.

"But I just realized something, Wolf. Back at the campsite, there was only one tent and one sleeping bag," Snow pointed out uneasily.

 **"Snow, I really don't think you need to worry about what could've happened between you and my son since we're currently trying to stay alive right now,"** I stated just before I lowered my head and nuzzled Casey, but I was ignored as Snow shot a look at Bigby.

"Were we sleeping together?" Snow questioned while crossing her arms, and I noticed Bigby looking away with an expression in his eyes that I was unable to figure out.

 **"I doubt it since I don't think that I was sleeping under a tent at all. I saw plenty of wolf and fox tracks in the campsite area, wolf tracks my size. Apparently, I've been in my wolf form and running wild, probably sleeping wild too while Dad and Casey were off doing their own thing in the forest. Don't let it bother you, Snow, because we've got plenty of other things to worry about as my father said,"** Bigby reassured but Snow didn't look convinced.

"It's not my fault if I'm overly concerned about what might have happened between us under the spell. You caused it, you're the one who's confessed an interest in me," Snow reminded with a huff and I rolled my eyes at the argument that was happening.

 **"After which you promptly shot me down, so can we please get some sleep?"** Bigby changed the subject while I could hear a slight tone of embarrassment in his voice.

"Why?" Snow inquired.

 **"Because I'm tired and we have a long road ahead of us tomorrow,"** Bigby stated dryly.

"No...what I meant was, why me? Why the interest?" Snow clarified while I huffed in disbelief.

 **"Jesus Snow, now you're suddenly in the mood to talk about this? Of all the centuries we have known you, you have amazing timing,"** I remarked while Casey was looking awkward at the banter between the three of us.

"I can't sleep because I think I'm still too wired by the events that had just happened, so why after several hundred years is your son suddenly attracted to me?" Snow wondered in confusion, but I looked away and stared at the rows of trees stoically.

 **"It's not for me to say..."** I muttered while looking back at her.

 **"Dad's right and it wasn't sudden...I don't act impulsively so you should know this by now,"** Bigby told her quietly.

"You're stalling," Snow pointed out with a sour expression.

 **"No...I'm answering your question, but in my own way so please be quiet if you want to hear the full story,"** Bigby started to explain as we rested.

* * *

"Among our people, well, what used to be our people, and on my mother's side, the first stirrings of wanting to claim a mate are usually triggered when we encounter the one who, for some reason, has a scent that draws us to them...who stands out from everyone else. One of the reasons why you survived our first meeting was that your scent affected me in a way that felt good," Bigby explained as we kept moving. Bigby and I were back in our human forms, and I was keeping my gun out for any danger.

"Are you serious? I was a mess back then after weeks of being on the run from the Adversary's legions, then three days in one of his chain gangs. I was covered with dirt and hadn't had a bath, or used a perfume bottle for..." Snow trailed off while reminiscing.

"Nevertheless, I wasn't interested in human girls back then so I guess it took centuries of living as a human myself for the attraction to grow on me," Bigby added as we traversed a large tree root that was sticking out of the ground.

"So, I'm your experiment with an acquired taste?" Snow questioned.

"It's a little more complicated than that...you're the woman I can't ignore," Bigby declared quietly as he helped Snow down from a large rock we had crossed.

"What the hell does that mean? It sounds vaguely insulting," Snow said.

"Living in the city, I have to smoke like a Bristol chimney just to deaden my senses enough to put up with the massive information overload," Bigby stated.

"I've noticed," Snow remarked.

"Even with that, I have to work hard to mentally filter out all of the millions of intrusive sounds and scents, every vehicle, every single person with their natural scents, plus the different colognes and perfumes they drench themselves in. Every morsel of food served in homes and restaurants, and every scrap of garbage they produce...I'd go crazy if I couldn't block it all out," Bigby said while we kept walking.

"And what does this have to do with me, Bigby?" Snow inquired.

"Because of you and you alone, I can't block your scent out no matter how hard I try and believe me, I've tried. I know where you are every second of every day. I know if you're having good or bad dreams every time you sleep. I know what kind of mood you're in by subtle changes in your natural scent, no matter how much you bathe or what manufactured scents you choose to wear.

I know when you are happy which is rare; when you are sad, and when you feel desperately lonely which is all too often. I know you get jealous whenever you have to talk to Beauty because of how successful her marriage is, all things considered, how unrelentingly loyal Beast is to her and you feel guilty for resenting her happiness to the point of making you snap at her, even though it's not her you're pissed at," Bigby told her, and I decided to try and change the subject since Snow was looking very uncomfortable at his confession.

"Bigby, maybe we should focus on surviving this and then we'll continue this conversation back home because you are making Snow highly uncomfortable," I chimed in while Casey was looking stunned at what she had heard.

"He's right, this is...it's too creepy, like you've been stalking me for all these centuries so please stop it," Snow begged with an uneasy expression.

"I'd stop it if I could. You'll recall in the first years of the Exile, my Dad and I tried to live apart from you and the other Fables but you insisted we come to the New World and join your grand experiment," Bigby stated while I was in front of him and keeping my eyes and ears open.

"Hey, it all worked out in the end since I never would've met Casey and we never would've found a place to belong if we had decided to stay in Europe for all these centuries...though the only downside to it all is that we had to deal with Goddamn Crane and his fucking corruption for centuries until that summer week back in 1986 when everything changed in Fabletown," I chimed in as I recalled Faith and wondered what she was doing right now since she left the community after the Crooked Man was sent to the Farm with Colin, Mr. Toad, and his son.

"Still..." Snow trailed off.

"If it makes you that uncomfortable Snow, then you probably shouldn't have asked questions that you were not ready to hear the answers to," Bigby said while we kept moving.

* * *

"Guys, I'm tired and my legs are about to give out. Bigby, Nate, if you two change back into wolves, Casey and I could ride again and we'd cover more ground," Snow suggested after a while, breathing heavily.

"We'll do that soon Snow, but not yet. Just hold on for a little bit longer since we don't want to get too far ahead of the shooter," I said calmly.

"Why not? Isn't that the whole point in getting away?" Snow questioned in confusion.

"Not always...if we simply make a run for it, we could likely get away this time but at the risk of letting her choose where and when to attack us the next time," Bigby explained just as we reached a cliff.

"He's right, so we need to get the high ground against the sniper and ambush her when she isn't expecting it," I agreed.

"She? What the bloody hell are you two on about? Are you two saying that our assassin is a woman?" Casey wondered and I nodded.

"Yeah, Dad and I finally caught the scent of our enemy, who is definitely a woman and a Fable. Do you hear that sound, faint but getting closer?" Bigby inquired while I kept my ears open at the sound of the dirt bike coming closer to our location.

"The chainsaw? You and Nate said that this place is logging country," Snow pointed out.

"The sound is similar but it's not a chainsaw. Our guess is that it's a dirt bike heading to our location. She's closing in, but we're at a location to give her a proper welcome," I stated as Bigby and I went to a small cave that looked like it would give Snow and Casey some cover from what we were about to do next.

"You two know who it is, don't you? It's that fuckin' tosser, Goldilocks! Ugh, I always hated that damn tart!" Casey growled irritably.

"Nasty insults aside, that would be our guess...unless you're aware of other fugitives who are psychotic, trigger-happy, female Fables with a special grudge against you? Alright, see how far you and Snow can crawl under those boulders because you two need to take cover for this next part," Bigby warned and the two women turned toward the cave.

"What are you two going to do?" Snow inquired after I holstered my gun.

"I have a special talent we Cardinal Winds are well known for, one that Bigby and I haven't used since the murder case of Faith and Lily... **i** **t's time for a bit of the old huff and puff,"** I declared after Bigby and I shifted into our giant wolf forms.

Snow and Casey immediately took cover inside the cave while Bigby and I stood over the cliff, looking at each other and nodding before breathing in deeply and blowing out an enormous gust of wind with the force of a hurricane that tore up the ground and ripped apart trees. Eventually, we stopped and I let out a wolfish grin after seeing the area below the cliff looking like a wasteland.

 **"Fucking hell...still got it after all these years. The first time I did it unintentionally before I met your mother, scared the ever-loving hell out of me,"** I remarked and Bigby huffed in amusement.

"Bigby? Nate? Is it over?" I heard Snow question and saw her along with Casey peering out of the cave in uncertainty.

 **"Yes, it's safe to come out now since we're all done,"** I notified her, prompting Snow and Casey to come out and they stared at the devastation in shock.

"Holy shite...how the bloody hell did you two..." Casey trailed off in disbelief.

 **"As I said, it's a special talent that we Cardinal Winds are well-known for...not to mention that I never told you two that Bigby is the product of a mixed marriage,"** I remarked.

 **"As my Step-dad said, my biological father was the North Wind...and as for how he met my mother and took a liking to her, well, that's a long and interesting story for another time,"** Bigby stated.

"Like everyone else, I heard the story about you and the Three Pigs but I never imagined what you and your father could really do," Snow breathed out in astonishment while looking up at us.

 **"And Bigby was still just a growing cub back then, so I doubt a brick house would survive now that he's full grown,"** I chimed in with a proud grin.

"So, did you two get her? Is Goldilocks dead?" Casey questioned and we shook our heads.

 **"No, unfortunately, but not for lack of trying. Killing her this way was a long shot, but it wasn't our actual plan. We've succeeded in two things we'd hoped to accomplish,"** Bigby stated.

"Which are?" Snow asked.

 **"The first thing we did is create a trail pointing to us that a blind man couldn't miss, so Goldilocks should have no trouble locating us now. The second and more important thing we did is show the local winds who the bosses are around here.**

 **They're obeying us now for a while at least, just long enough that they'll maneuver to keep Goldilocks upwind of us at all times and carry her scent directly to us, no matter what path she takes. Now we'll know where she is every second, right up until the moment she arrives,"** I explained, causing Snow and Casey to look at us in surprise.

"So, we set a trap for her this time?" Casey inquired.

 **"Yup...one thing I learned in 'Nam is that you set the bait, lure your enemy to your location, and ambush them when they least expect it,"** I stated.

"And what's our part in all of this?" Snow wondered.

 **"Hiding, staying quiet and staying out of our way if things go according to plan. Just in case though, let's talk about what you and Casey should be prepared to do if the situation doesn't turn out the way we expect,"** Bigby said and started to explain.

* * *

After explaining our contingency plan to Snow and Casey, we had them take cover and hide while Bigby and I watched Goldilocks coming up the path we made for her.

"Come on, I know you bastards are out here, now show your ugly faces," Goldilocks muttered and Bigby lunged at her to tear her apart.

 **"As you wish!"** Bigby snarled as he headed towards her with a bloodthirsty growl.

I was in my human form and I winced as I witnessed Goldilocks react by whipping around and shooting Bigby in the chest with a rifle, causing him to tumble in mid-air and crash to the ground like a redwood tree. Bigby choked up blood as Goldilocks headed over to him. I felt rage spark up when she fired twice into his side, then went over to the cliff to look for me and the others.

"Where are you, Princess? You, the vixen, and the Deputy? Come out, come out wherever you are," Goldilocks taunted sadistically while Bigby weakly lifted his head.

 **"You...should...have...used...silver..."** Bigby rasped in pain, causing Goldilocks to look at him and head over to where he was currently laying.

"Excuse me, what's that?" Goldilocks questioned.

 **"Silver bullets...these steel and lead rounds hurt like a fucking bitch, but they can't kill me or cause any permanent damage,"** Bigby explained while whining in agony.

"Well, that's not fair since I'm using top of the line 30-378 Weatherby hunting rounds. They can kill a charging elephant and they should've rendered your internal organs into nothing but a gory pudding," Goldilocks stated as she knelt down.

 **"My bones, vessels, and internal organs are already regenerating. Pretty soon, I'll be up and ripping you apart between my teeth,"** Bigby threatened, prompting Goldilocks to shove the barrel into his mouth.

"Is that so? Then have an appetizer," Goldilocks declared and pulled the trigger, blowing out the back of Bigby's head and causing brain matter to splatter onto the ground.

"I'm far from ignorant, Wolf. If I can recall my werewolf lore correctly, silver isn't the only thing that can kill you. Fire works too, right? So I'll build a nice bonfire with you in the center of it, pausing, of course, to put the occasional round in you in order to keep you nice and helpless while I work. How's that?" Goldilocks inquired while Snow, Casey, and I snuck up behind her with a hatchet, my backup weapon, and my P226.

"How's this, you bitch?!" Snow shouted in pure rage as she sent the blade of the hatchet into Goldilocks' skull.

Goldilocks fell forward and managed to get back up, pulling out a snub nose revolver and stumbling around, firing wildly.

"Shit, take cover!" I shouted urgently and quickly reacted by shooting her repeatedly.

Goldilocks' body jerked many times from the rounds hitting her until she stumbled back and went clear over the cliff, prompting me to rush over with my gun up and watch her crashing against rocks and trees as she fell to the bottom. Goldilocks' eventually rolled down and landed onto a road and I was stunned to see her picking herself up.

"Jesus fucking Christ...what the hell does it take to kill that crazy bitch?" I muttered in disbelief.

Suddenly, a semi truck collided into Goldilocks and sent her flying into the nearby river. The truck swerved to a halt and the cargo trailer nearly tipped over from the sudden stop as the driver quickly got out with a look of panic and horror as he took out his phone to call an ambulance.

 **"Did she go over the cliff?"** I heard Bigby groaning and I looked to see him and the others approaching.

"Bigby! Jesus, lay back down because you got shot many times and need to recover!" I exclaimed as I went to check on him.

 **"Don't worry about me...what about Goldilocks? Is she dead?"** Bigby questioned while I checked to see if his injuries were healing okay.

"Of course I'm going to worry about you, I'm your father. As for Goldilocks, I doubt she's dead since she survived a hatchet to the head, getting shot seven times, breaking every bone and crushing internal organs in her body from falling down a cliff. The fact that she survived all of that, it wouldn't surprise me if she survives getting hit by a semi truck and thrown into a river," I remarked as I went over to kiss Casey.

 **"I hope she's dead but she's popular with the Mundies, so they won't let her die that easily,"** Bigby said and I frowned at that, since the popularity of a Fable's story gives them the power to survive where humans could not.

"So, what the hell do we do now?" Snow inquired.

"For now...we sleep for twelve hours and then we go home," I stated.

"You won't get any arguments from me," Casey agreed as we left the area.

* * *

After Bigby shifted back to his human form and put his clothes back on, we all made it to a nearby logging camp and called the Business Office to inform everyone there about the situation and that we were heading home. Then, we asked one of the truck drivers to give us a ride to the airport. We took a plane back to New York City, and were going to rent a car to get back home.

"First thing I'm going to do is sink into a hot bath for a week," Snow declared tiredly.

"First thing Dad and I are going to do is look deeper into this and figure out who Goldilocks was working for, because somebody put us under that spell and she couldn't have done that herself," Bigby growled under his breath.

"Bigby, before we face the others, we should settle one thing. About what you said to me that night..." Snow trailed off with an uncomfortable expression.

"If you're worried that I'm going to continue "stalking" you, don't since I can move out of the Woodland if it bothers you so much," Bigby offered.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Casey and I will get a car and we'll meet you two outside when you're ready to go," I spoke up and led Casey away from Bigby and Snow.

"Why are we leaving them alone?" Casey wondered in confusion.

"I get the feeling that they should have some time to themselves," I explained as we headed over to the rental car office.

After we waited for Bigby and Snow, they made it out of the airport and I noticed that Bigby look much lighter and happier than before as he and Snow got into the car with me and Casey.

"So, why are you looking so happy?" I questioned in anticipation as I was driving us back to the Woodland.

"Well...Snow and I talked and we...decided to give things a try," Bigby admitted while his face turned red.

"Well Goddamn! I'm happy for you two, really, but make sure that it doesn't get in the way of doing your jobs," I told them and they nodded.

"Don't worry, we'll keep it professional," Snow vowed and I nodded while keeping my eyes on the road.

A couple of weeks passed by while we returned to our lives while recovering from what Goldilocks tried to do to us, but I noticed that Bluebeard hadn't shown up to the last few meetings and I wondered where he was since I had an idea that he was responsible for us nearly dying in the Cascade Mountains.

Today, Bigby and I were in our office doing paperwork when Bigby's phone rang and he answered it.

"Hello...Snow?...we're busy...whoa, whoa, calm down! Dad and I are coming so there's no need to shout at me!" Bigby exclaimed defensively and hung up.

"Snow seems to be pissed at us. What the hell is going on?" I wondered in confusion as we stood up.

"No idea, but she sounded very upset over the phone and basically demanded that we see her immediately," Bigby explained as I went over to the coat rack and put on my jacket.

We left the office and headed to Snow's apartment. I knocked on the front door and recoiled when it opened suddenly to show a very pissed off Snow White who looked like she had been crying.

"There you two are! Get the hell in here, now!" Snow shouted, which forced us to head inside and she yelled at us for nearly five minutes.

"...threw up this morning, yesterday morning, and the day before that!" Snow ranted furiously.

"Oh my God, you're pregnant?! I'm going to be a father and Dad's going to be a grandfather?!" Bigby questioned loudly in joy while I was stunned at the news.

"Holy shit, I'm going to be a grandfather!" I exclaimed in excitement, which didn't sit well with Snow.

"Don't you two dare be happy about this! Bigby, you told me we didn't do anything and that you slept outside!" Snow shouted in outrage.

"How the hell would I know? I have no memories of the time we were both under the spell! Do you? How is this my fault?" Bigby questioned defensively.

"You and Nate lied to me! You two have all those special senses you're always boasting about, so both of you would've known what we did as soon as we came to, but you and Nate hid it from me!" Snow retorted.

"We only told you what you needed to hear in order for you to stay calm and focused in a combat situation," I explained while resting my hands on my duty belt.

"So, what do we do now?" Bigby asked as Snow turned away from us.

"Please, go...I'd like to be alone," Snow told us and we reluctantly left the apartment.

As we headed back to the office, my sharp hearing picked up Snow crying and I felt bad for her and hoped that Snow would be okay. But I was also excited that Casey had approached me yesterday and told me that she was pregnant and we were going to have kits.

Even though we couldn't remember what had happened during those three days, we were happy that we were going to be parents and I knew that things would be much more interesting from now on.

* * *

A/N Well, looks like Nate's life is going to be very interesting due to being a father of fox kits that'll shape-shift and control the wind element. So, how did you all like this chapter? Let me know and stay tuned.


	10. Chapter 10

Woodland Luxury Apartments, Bullfinch Street, Manhattan, New York City, 2004.

Some time had passed by after Goldilocks' assassination attempt and things had gone back to normal, even though I was excited to be a father and grandfather at the same time. Bigby and I were in our office and signing reports while Flycatcher was sweeping the room with his broom, just as Bufkin came flying into the office and I rolled my eyes slightly when I saw that he had a tiny man in his hand.

 _"Seriously, again? I've lost count of how many times these tiny fellows keep sneaking into the Business Office,"_ I thought unamusingly as Bufkin put down the tiny man on Bigby's desk.

"Look here Sheriff, Deputy, I caught this one making it all the way up to the jar this time!" Bufkin exclaimed excitingly while the man brushed off dirt on his sweater.

"There's no need to shout so loudly Bufkin, we can hear you just fine," Bigby lectured as he looked up from his reports and placed the pen down.

"Well, it's Eddie Underfoot who's come down from the Farm to make his try at the Barleycorns. The Mouse Police warned me and the Sheriff that you have come of age," I remarked and Eddie shot me a look of disbelief.

"They did?! Those bastards!" Eddie shouted in outrage and Bigby picked up a magnifying glass to get a closer look at him.

"How the hell did you get here, Eddie?" Bigby questioned and Eddie huffed.

"I hitched a ride on the back of last night's messager bird," Eddie explained and I pinched the space between my eyes to try and ease a headache that was rising.

"Well, you're going back the same way so report to the MPs when you get home and stay there," I told him firmly and Eddie widened his eyes in shock while he pointed at me.

"That's not fair, Nate!" Eddie complained and I sighed.

"Hey, you had your shot of fame and glory like your father did when he turned eighteen, and his father before him so try it again and we'll have no choice but to officially charge you for breaking and entering along with theft. Bufkin, get him out of here and make sure he goes home today," Bigby instructed and Bufkin nodded while Eddie scowled up at Bigby.

"Roger dodger," Bufkin said as he picked up Eddie and flew out of the office.

"Bigby? Nate?" Flycatcher spoke up and we both looked at him.

"Yeah, what is it?" I questioned and Flycatcher gestured at the door.

"I don't get it because you two let that kid go with just a warning?" Flycatcher asked in confusion.

"Yeah, we don't see why it's such a problem," Bigby stated and Flycatcher looked shocked.

"You two arrest me every time you catch me eating flies, which is only a minor offense but trying to steal magical artifacts from the Business Office is a serious crime," Flycatcher pointed out.

"This is a special situation because every boy in Smalltown tries to steal a magic Barleycorn once he comes of age. It's expected of them, a rite of passage that dates back to...well, it's a long story," I clarified while stacking my finished reports neatly.

"I've got time," Flycatcher stated and Bigby shrugged as he puffed on his smoke.

"What the hell, why not? Have a seat Flycatcher and we'll tell you a story," Bigby said after putting out his cigarette butt in the ashtray and gesturing for Flycatcher to sit down, who obliged as I got started with the story of how Smalltown and its rite of passage began.

"Long ago in the Homelands, when most Fables still believed they had a chance to defeat the Adversary's armies, the Kingdom of Lilliput was among those who were determined to do their part so they gathered up a regiment of volunteers, dubbed it the first Lilliputian Expeditionary and Liberation force, and sent them off in a warship to help win the war effort.

Bravely, they crossed the wild seas to distant lands they had never visited before, only to be greeted with an unexpected surprise so the commanding officers were called into a meeting where they decided that joining the war wasn't worth it since it was too dangerous and they decided to go back home...but when they got back to their ship, they soon found out that the way back home was completely destroyed and they took a goblin captive for questioning.

Colonel Wuddershanks questioned their first and only POW for hours until it was discovered that more enemy contacts would be returning, and so the Lilliputian Expeditionary Force became nothing more than a band of wandering refugees like everyone else in a strange giant world. For many long harsh months, they wandered the Homelands while living off the land and avoiding any bloody warzone until they encountered a family of Fable badgers.

The female badger told the small group of a magical gateway that led to a world where there would be a sanctuary for all Fables and they immediately joined one of the many Fable groups making their way to the New World," I explained while Flycatcher was completely focused on me.

"And that's how they came here and founded Smalltown up at the Farm?" Flycatcher asked while he was pouring us coffee and Bigby nodded.

"Yeah, but there was one big problem that became almost apparent...the Liliputian Expeditionary Force was only made up of men and since there were no Liliputian women here, the small town's first-generation threatened to be its last," Bigby added and Flycatcher looked confused.

"But there are women in Smalltown because I've seen lots of them once," Flycatcher pointed out and Bigby shot him a look.

"There's a reason for that so let us explain before jumping to conclusions," I told him and Flycatcher looked embarrassed as he cleared his throat.

"Sorry, please continue," Flycatcher said sheepishly and I nodded.

"Years had passed by without a woman in sight in the unhappy village of Smalltown until Thumbelina showed up after escaping from her own distant homeland and of course, that only made things worse. No women at all were bad enough but only one woman, with every man knowing that only one of them could eventually get into a relationship with her, that was intolerable.

Everyone was miserable, especially Thumbelina so something had to be done before assaults became murders and the eventual solution to their dilemma came from an unexpected source. By that time, everyone knew Thumbelina's story of how she came to this world and the kind witch who gave the Barleycorn to the woman that grew a daughter had escaped the Adversary and was living in Fabletown.

Word had spread and it eventually reached the Farm where Smalltown resident Johnny Bullhorn, a bold young man with a taste of adventure, had the crazy idea of going back through the gateway and travel the Homelands in order to find the Barleycorn and bring it back. The residents thought it was too insane and they tried to talk him out of it, but Johnny reassured them and said that he knew the way to the cottage and that Commander Arrow of the Farm's air patrol would be accompanying him.

So, with a few more encouragements and a carefully chaste kiss from Thumbelina, the two Fables set off on their grand adventure and passed through the Oak Hollows Gate, though this was still close to forty years before the Adversary's warlocks would find and destroy it. True to their expectations, they enjoyed many adventures with narrow escapes, harsh weather, and other threats during their journey while avoiding any contact with the Adversary's occupation soldiers.

A few months had passed by and no one was worried since traveling during that time was long and rough but we started to become concerned when six months had gone by without any good news. Finally, when two years had passed by, we held a memorial service for the two of them on the Farm and I was the only Law Enforcement officer to show up since Bigby was not allowed to attend.

We were wrong though because they weren't dead, but it would be a while before we learned about that...long story short, Johnny and Arrow invited a cricket named Pete to come with them and get the Barleycorns before returning to the Farm. Pete was reluctant to leave his comfy mustard pot at first but finally agreed when they told him many snug and homey pots could be found in the New World.

They eventually tracked the Barleycorns at a tower and after a surprisingly pleasant afternoon conversation with an ex-sorcerer that was in the form of a bear, they located the Barleycorn jar. By now, I'm sure you figured out the rest of this story where Johnny and Arrow flew home with their new friends. They were greeted warmly when they returned and a great big crop of Barleycorn girls was grown that spring.

Five couples were united in that first of many weddings to come, the magic bear gave Arrow his wings back and lived on the Farm for a few centuries before deciding to live in the city, where he changed himself into Mr. Grandours who lives on the ninth floor. Pete found himself another cozy discarded pot to take residence in and young Johnny Bullhorn was known from that day forward as John Barleycorn, then he had many more adventures which are stories for another time.

After that first crop, there were more than enough women in Smalltown to conceive the old fashioned way so the jar of remaining Barleycorns was moved here to be stored safely with the rest of our magical artifacts, but boys will be boys and it became a Smalltown tradition for every young man to sneak in here and try, at least once, to win himself a Barleycorn bride before going home to marry the girl next door," I explained.

"Why?" Flycatcher inquired and Bigby shrugged while lighting up a smoke.

"Many reasons I suppose, a desire to win status in the community by imitating what John Barleycorn did and the Barleycorns are reputed to be far lovelier than any normal girl their size or ours. Anyway, Fly, we should probably quit slacking off and get back to work so we hope you like the story," Bigby told Flycatcher, who nodded.

"Thanks, Sheriff, Deputy. You know Bigby, you're not as bad as everyone says you...uh, I'll get back to work," Flycatcher said quickly and started sweeping after Bigby shot him a pointed look.

"Heh, where have we heard that before?" I wondered playfully with a wolfish grin and Bigby glared at me.

"Shut up," Bigby grumbled and I chuckled.

After a while, Bigby and I were done with the day and separated as we headed to our apartments, then I arrived back home and Casey kissed me when I entered the apartment.

"Hey, how was work?" Casey asked while my uniform and duty belt changed into normal casual clothes.

"Nothing interesting happened, so want to watch a movie?" I offered and Casey nodded.

"Sure," Casey agreed and we headed over to the sofa.

I picked out a movie and we both sat down together, then we watched the TV while Casey leaned against me and I moved my arm around her shoulders. Pretty soon, Casey had fallen asleep during the middle of the movie and I turned off the TV just before I gently lifted Casey up in my arms and took her to the bedroom. Casey stirred while I carefully put her down on the bed and laid down next to her as we held each other close and fell asleep.

(Play Heaven's Not Enough by Steve Conte)

* * *

 _I opened my eyes and was taken aback when I saw that I was no longer in my apartment, seeing the familiar sights of the Black Forest and I was completely confused about how I got back to the Homelands when I fell asleep in Fabletown._

" _What the hell? How did I get here?" I wondered and I heard a noise that made me conjure up my duty belt and pull out my gun, aiming at the location of where the noise came from._

 _"Who's out there?! Come out, now!" I demanded as I aimed at the bushes and tensed up when they started shaking and the figure of an animal came into the clearing I was standing in._

 _I couldn't get a clear look due to the area being covered in mist but when the figure approached me and the mist cleared up, my eyes widened and I started trembling when I saw that the figure was a familiar female white wolf._

 _"Wha...Winter? It can't be..." I trailed off as I lowered my gun and Winter's tail started wagging as she smiled warmly._

" _Hello, Nathan, it's been so long," Winter greeted as I holstered my gun and knelt down in front of her._

" _Are you really here? Is this real?" I questioned and Winter rested her head on my shoulder while she nuzzled me._

 _"It's okay, I'm here now and you don't need to be afraid anymore," Winter reassured softly and I wrapped my arms around her neck in a hug while a few tears welled up and ran down my cheeks._

 _"I missed you so Goddamn much...where am I and how are you here?" I asked while I shifted into my normal-sized wolf form, nuzzling back as I enjoyed this moment with Winter._

 _"The place you're at could be called the Afterlife to the mundane humans and as for why I'm here, I wanted to see you again since I've missed you," Winter explained and she started humming as I closed my eyes and leaned into her slightly._

 _As we kept embracing, I prayed that this wasn't a dream and slowly inhaled Winter's scent as we separated and bumped our heads together slightly in a friendly gesture._

 _Winter backed up and lowered her head in a playful bow before nipping me in the shoulder and shooting me a mischievous grin before she whipped around and took off into the forest, prompting me to chase after her excitingly and the trees passed me in a blur while I chased after Winter and enjoyed the experience. Pretty soon, I caught up to Winter in a field of flowers and tackled her to the ground, then we rolled around with playful barks as we nipped each other and eventually laid down next to each other in the field of flowers._

 _"I missed this, having fun with you," I stated quietly while I rested my head on the back of her neck._

 _"I know...Nathan, I haven't been exactly truthful as to why I'm here," Winter admitted and when I looked at her, I was taken aback to see her looking completely serious._

 _"What do you mean?" I asked uneasily and Winter licked my neck to reassure me._

 _"Nathan, you will face terrible events in the future that will be filled with loss and tragedy, and there will come to a point where you will question yourself about a choice that'll change your life and the lives of those around you. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to ruin this moment between us, not to mention that something will happen to you in the distant future where you will fight for your survival," Winter explained and before my eyes, I saw the air shimmer in front of us and it opened a screen to show a scene of some kind._

 _I saw myself with a few people and we were fighting what looked to be walking rotting corpses, but what caught my attention was that one of the men was firing a colt python and another with long hair and a biker vest with angel wings on the back was shooting a crossbow at the head of one of the monsters while a kid wearing a cowboy hat was keeping two other kids safe._

 _"Who are those people?" I inquired in confusion._

 _"They are from a world that is similar to the mundane world, but something had happened to cause the dead to rise and those people are going to become an important role in your life while you are to ensure that the future tragic events that happen to them don't come to pass," Winter told me cryptically but I was confused._

 _Before I could say anything, the area started becoming distorted and I looked around in alarm as Winter stood up with a grim expression and started walking away._

 _"Winter, don't leave me!" I shouted as I stood up, causing her to look back at me._

 _"Remember, whatever choice you make in the future will affect you and those around you!" Winter called out to me as I felt myself waking up._

* * *

I gasped awake as I sat up suddenly and started breathing heavily, hearing someone knocking on the door which woke up Casey.

"Nate, who the bloody hell is that?" Casey wondered groggily and I kissed her forehead as I got out of bed and conjured up my uniform and duty belt.

I headed to the front door and opened it to find Bigby standing in the hallway, looking serious and I rested my hands on my duty belt.

"Bigby, why are you knocking this early in the morning? What happened?" I questioned while Casey stood next to me fully dressed.

"You need to come with me, Deputy, something happened that you should know about," Bigby stated and Casey looked uneasy at his tone.

"What's going on?" Casey asked and I looked at her.

"Don't worry about it, I'll go with the Sheriff to figure out what's going on and be sure to let you know," I reassured as I laid a hand on her shoulder.

Casey looked uncertain at first but she nodded and I left the apartment after saying goodbye, following Bigby and thinking about the dream I had. I didn't know what I had dreamt about but something told me that it wasn't a dream and I just knew that something really big was coming that would change the lives of everyone in Fabletown forever.

* * *

A/N I'm finally back with this story and it looks like there are dark tragic things in store for Nate in the future. For the scene of Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixion, and Carl Grimes that you saw in Nate's vision, I am planning on making a sequel where Nate winds up in The Walking Dead universe and gets involved in most of the events of the series, so I hope you are excited because I know I am since Nate would be an invaluable ally indeed.

If you like this chapter and want to see what happens next, let me know and stay tuned.


	11. Chapter 11

Woodland Luxury Apartments, Bullfinch Street, Manhattan, New York City, 2004.

After Bigby informed me that he had discovered that Bluebeard was dead and that Prince Charming was responsible for killing him, I was less than happy since not only do I despise vigilante justice, but I was also pissed that King Cole had known about it and lied about it all this time while we were building a case against Bluebeard. As the weeks passed by, we've been trying to speak to King Cole about it but he was avoiding us due to other matters, then we finally managed to approach King Cole in Bluebeard's former apartment while he and Boy Blue were busy looking through Bluebeard's account book.

"Mayor Cole, we need to speak to you right now," Bigby said bluntly as we approached the desk where King Cole and Boy Blue were at.

"Of course Bigby, of course, but not now because I'm too busy at the moment," King Cole refused and I sighed quietly.

"I'm afraid it can't wait, sir, because you've been avoiding us for weeks and this is something that needs to come to your attention," I stated seriously.

"Very well, I can spare you two a few minutes then I need to deal with Lord Bluebeard's accounts," King Cole accepted and we headed back to the Sheriff's office where Bigby and I showed just how unhappy we were at the fact that Charming was declared innocent.

"You let Prince Charming get away with killing Bluebeard," I accused sternly and King Cole looked taken aback.

"I did no such thing because I convened a hearing where he was charged with the crime of premeditated murder, though I had no recourse other than to find him not guilty after lacking any evidence to contest his claim of self-defense," King Cole defended and I shot him an unamused expression.

"All of which was done with maximum expedition so that you could get to the much more vital business of taking his wealth," Bigby stated and King Cole looked insulted.

"Watch yourself, Sheriff," King Cole warned and I sighed in frustration.

"We were going to take down Bluebeard legally by quietly building a case against him that proved he continued with extorting Fables he rescued long after signing onto the General Amnesty, but Charming killed him so everything we worked hard for to bring down Bluebeard is completely useless now," I explained in displeasure.

"A case that you two have been building for how many years without finding any admissible evidence?" King Cole remarked sarcastically and I shot a glare at him for his smart-ass comment.

"The law isn't perfect and working in the Justice System takes time," Bigby reasoned.

"So, Charming saved you two additional years of effort, now accept it and move on. Miss White tells me that both of you are adequate in your duties, so don't force me to start questioning her judgment," King Cole lectured firmly.

I decided to let it go since there was nothing to be done about it anymore, so Bigby and I left the office and headed to the front doors of the building. We left the building and took a walk to clear our heads until we eventually arrived back at the front gate of the Woodland, where we had the displeasure of seeing Charming and Hobbes leave the building.

"Well, if it isn't the very two people we'd hope to see today," Bigby said with a fake smile as he lit up a smoke, catching Charming and Hobbes' attention.

"Sheriff, Deputy, what business could you both possibly want with me?" Charming wondered while I glared at him.

"You made sure we couldn't bring down Bluebeard and your manipulation with our Mayor has made you safe, for now. Not you Mr. Hobbes, you're still indictable for your involvement in the conspiracy to commit murder," I declared and Charming chuckled in amusement.

"Actually, no, he isn't since I gave him blanket amnesty in return for his invaluable help in exposing his employer's crimes," Charming told us smugly and I gritted my teeth.

"You don't have the authorization to make that decision," Bigby growled while he was going through his pack of smokes quickly.

"I'm about to be since Hobbes and I are embarking on the first stages of that very thing even now. Now, if you'll excuse me, we have five hundred signatures to collect so good day to you Sheriff, Deputy," Charming said as he and Hobbes passed us, going down the street and leaving our line of sight.

"God, fucking asshole! No wonder Snow hates him...I have half a mind to beat that smug grin right off his face and ruin his good looks," I snarled viciously while I tried to calm myself down, just as a taxi pulled up next to the curb and Snow got out before she paid the driver.

"Hey," Bigby greeted and Snow looked surprised to see us.

"Bigby, Nate, what are you two doing out here?" Snow questioned in confusion.

"I've been waiting for you because we need to talk and my Deputy came out here just to clear his head," Bigby explained and he looked at me with a hidden gesture in his eyes.

I nodded slightly and went inside the building to let them have some privacy, then I arrived at the Business Office and waited as Bufkin flew down onto the desk I was leaning against.

"How are you today, Deputy?" Bufkin asked cheerfully and I shrugged.

"I'm doing okay," I replied just as I heard two people running and Snow burst into the Business Office with Bigby right behind her, startling me slightly and I shot them a look of surprise.

"Snow, Bigby, what the hell is going on?" I questioned but Bigby sent me an expression that told me he was just as confused while Snow held up a hand.

"No time for that, Deputy. Blue, where are you?!" Snow called out and Bufkin looked at her.

"He's sleeping Miss White, due to being up all night," Bufkin stated.

"That's fine, Bufkin, you'll do so please find me the volume on Fabletown election rules," Snow suggested and Bufkin shook his head.

"I can't do that because Bluebeard's goblin butler checked it out some time ago," Bufkin explained.

"Oh, dear Lord..." Snow trailed off in horror while Bigby and I looked at each other in confusion.

"Will one of you please tell us what the hell is going on?" Bigby inquired and Snow looked at us.

"I'm not certain because it's never come up before...but if I remember correctly, any Fabletown citizen can call for a special election by collecting five hundred signatures. I think my ex-husband plans to run for Mayor," Snow told us and my eyes widened in shock while Bigby looked completely stunned.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm struggling to process what you just said...did I just hear you say that Prince Charming is planning to be Mayor of Fabletown or am I going crazy?" I questioned in denial and Snow nodded, which didn't make me feel good.

"Yes, I did say that and I'm just as shocked as you are," Snow confirmed and Bigby threw his arms up in disbelief.

"Well, isn't that just fucking perfect...let's add that to the list of problems we are currently dealing with right now. So, what the fuck do we do now?" Bigby wondered and I pinched the area between my eyes to prevent a headache from forming.

"The first thing we should do is inform Mayor Cole about this and then we'll see where to go from there," I said and everyone nodded as we went to leave the Business Office.

* * *

After we had left the Business Office, we took the elevator to King Cole's penthouse and explained the situation to him, then King Cole was far from happy to hear the bad news as we conversed in the Sheriff's office a few minutes later.

"So, what are we going to do about Prince Charming?" I questioned and everyone else shrugged.

"What can we do since he has the law on his side," Bigby pointed out irritably.

"Well, I for one have no intention of working for him, so I'll quit if he wins the election," Snow declared firmly and I didn't blame her since who would want to work for an arrogant womanizing asshole like Charming.

"Why would someone want to take my place? Haven't I done a good job?" King Cole wondered with a crestfallen expression.

"Okay, let's not go down that train of thought because he hasn't gotten the signatures yet. With all due respect though, if you hadn't given him a free pass from the Bluebeard Murder Scandal, we would've had more options right now," I stated just as someone knocked on the door and it opened to reveal Trusty John.

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's quite a commotion going on outside that I think you all should see," John informed us.

"Damn it, what now?" Bigby groaned in exasperation as we all followed John to the lobby.

"Christ, as if we aren't dealing with enough problems right now since they do come in threes," Snow grumbled and I looked at her.

"That's nothing more than superstition, Snow," I told her as we arrived in the lobby and left the building to see what was going on outside.

Once we left the building, I saw a crowd of Fables surrounding a woman with red hair and old clothes...though I couldn't help but notice that she seemed familiar to me, like I had seen her somewhere before but the memory of when and where was foggy and I had no idea how I knew her since it was hard to recall when I first encountered her.

"Hello, my name is Red Riding Hood and I've recently escaped from the Empire. I formally request sanctuary in Fabletown," Red stated with a warm smile.

I was completely stunned at the fact that I was looking at who used to be the little girl I saw briefly back in the Homelands centuries ago when I was trying to save Bigby from the Woodsman, and I looked at Bigby who was just as stunned and I cleared my throat to get Red's attention.

"Um, sure...just come with us and we'll get everything sorted," I said awkwardly and gestured for her to follow us.

After we had gotten everyone to disperse and they went about their business, we sent a message to Boy Blue and escorted Red to the Business Office before she took a seat where she explained her whole story of how she got here.

"After the fall of the keep at World's End, I was captured alive by the Emperor's soldiers and for a few weeks, they used me like soldiers always treat captured women. Then, they sent me back into slavery, which I endured for all these centuries until I eventually earned their trust again and was able to make my escape. I fled to the OZ gateway, which links to your northern land of Kanda," Red explained when I cleared my throat to get her attention.

"The area you arrived in is pronounced Can...a...da," I corrected slowly and she nodded.

"Thank you. As I was saying, I had made it into the land of Canada, where two of your Fable garrison started to accompany me from the northern gate but they were killed by goblins that ambushed us. I didn't know if anyone was still after me but they must've followed me through the gate, though Fables and goblins alike were all killed and I got away," Red finished but I narrowed my eyes slightly since her story seemed off to me.

"And you made your way here all on your own?" Snow questioned.

"Yes," Red affirmed and King Cole looked excited.

"That's a remarkable achievement, Miss Riding Hood because you're the first Fable to escape the Homelands in more than a century so do you have any idea what effect your arrival is going to have on the morale of the community? What effect it already has?" King Cole told her, and Red looked bashful as she smiled shyly.

"I don't expect any special attention," Red stated modestly and King Cole shook his head.

"Well, you're going to get it because you'll be the toast of the town!" King Cole declared while Bigby and I looked at each other with suspicion since Red shouldn't have crossed the gate due to it being closed for centuries by the Adversary's warlocks.

At that time, the door opened and we all looked to see Boy Blue entering the office.

"He's here," Bigby informed everyone.

"Who..." Red trailed off when she saw Blue.

"Okay guys, I'm here so what's the big...emergency?" Blue asked after his eyes widened in shock when he spotted Red.

"Blue?" Red questioned in disbelief.

"Ride?" Blue stuttered.

"I thought you were dead!" both Fables exclaimed together as Blue rushed over and gently placed his hands on Red's shoulders.

"Oh my God, I can hardly believe what I'm seeing! Is it you?" Blue questioned while his eyes started welling up.

"How is it possible that you are here because you stayed behind! I saw the boat leave without you!" Red stated breathlessly.

"It's a long story but I was able to catch up to the boat after it sailed," Blue explained happily.

"You left me to die?" Red gasped quietly in shock and Blue looked stunned.

"No, I-" Blue tried to speak and was cut off when Red pushed him away and backed up.

"Get your hands off me!" Red shouted and Blue looked hurt from the rejection.

"But, I thought you were on the boat," Blue reasoned and Red looked away from him.

"Just stay away, I need to think this through...you abandoned me, Blue, after using me for the night just like the way the Emperor's soldiers used to treat me, so at least they had the courtesy not to pretend that love had anything to do with it," Red stated distressfully and Blue looked heartbroken at hearing that.

"I never did that!" Blue exclaimed in disbelief while Bigby and I looked at each other with frowns.

"Well, this didn't exactly turn out well," Snow whispered to us.

"On the contrary, it makes perfect sense because it's precisely the right move for her to make," Bigby muttered and King Cole stepped in to break up the fight between Blue and Red.

After King Cole escorted Red out of the office, Bigby and I also left and headed back to the Sheriff's office before we sat down at our desks and got back to work while also talking about how things seemed off with Red's story and how she arrived in the Mundane World. After a while, someone knocked on the door and it opened to show Snow coming in.

"Bigby, Nate, we need to talk," Snow stated and we looked up from our paperwork.

"How's Boy Blue? Is he okay?" I inquired in concern as Snow headed to Bigby's desk.

"He was in a mild state of shock so I sent him home for today." Snow replied.

"Okay, I hope he'll be fine soon so what's on your mind, Miss White?" I asked curiously.

"You and Bigby know, or think you two know, something about Red Riding Hood and I'd like to know what it is," Snow responded and Bigby gestured to a chair.

"Sure, just have a seat because this may take a while. Do you know why I took extended leaves of absence back in 1916 and again in 1939?" Bigby inquired.

"I know the reason why since I read a calendar...it was no big secret that you went off to fight in those two Great Wars, as Nate did once when he left and fought in Vietnam for a few years. You didn't seem to want to talk about it so I never asked you about it before, and I've often wondered why you and Nate did it since it was the Mundies' fight, not ours," Snow admitted and I sighed.

"It's a short-sided way of looking at things, but...a wolf grows up knowing he needs to protect his territory or risk losing it. Snow, we've been a part of this country far longer than any Mundy in existence and some might reasonably argue that only increases our duty to fight for it," I stated.

"And in what way does this pertain to the Red Riding Hood situation?" Snow asked and Bigby took a deep breath.

"During the two Great Wars, I did my share of fighting behind enemy lines mostly on my own and occasionally worked with special forces units...before you say anything, I never revealed my true form to them so you don't need to worry.

From time to time, we gained the upper hand by placing covert agents among the enemy, mostly by having them act as defectors and one good way to make sure those men were convincing was to send them to the enemy Nazis, even to the extent of shooting them once or twice. It was a big risk, but nothing was so convincing to the enemy like some poor bastard being badly injured in the process of defecting in the middle of a warzone," Bigby explained and Snow looked uneasy.

"Oh my God, you two think that Red Riding Hood is a spy that was sent here by the Adversary," Snow gasped softly in shock.

"You heard her story, a bunch of goblins in a car tried to kill her during her escape to prevent her from reaching us...pretty convincing, wouldn't you agree? Not only that, but Boy Blue described that back in the Battle of the Keep at World's End, she showed up there in very similar circumstances...severely injured while trying to make it to our side of the combat zone," I told her and Snow looked pensive.

"So, you and Bigby think that she was a spy for the Adversary at that time?" Snow asked uneasily and we nodded.

"The enemy Commander back then swore that no one would survive once the Garrison fell apart, and similar threats were always carried out in previous combat situations," Bigby stated grimly.

"The biggest question of all is why did they let her and only her live? Did they need one more female slave so desperately? Also, the gate in Canada had been sealed shut for nearly two hundred years and it was closed from the other side by the Adversary's soldiers, not ours.

Who opened it again and how did she get away from the group of goblins?" I added tensely.

"She told us that she drove away after the two Fables died defending her," Snow answered.

"Yeah, and who taught her to drive a car? Who provided the pursuing goblins with a car of their own?" Bigby suggested and Snow's eyes widened in realization.

"Christ...it was all a setup?" Snow inquired hesitantly.

"Someone in the Homelands carefully prepared every player on the chessboard to carry out their part but they got sloppy," I said as we all stood up from our seats.

"This is just suppositions without any hard evidence to prove it," Snow pointed out as Bigby put on his trench coat.

"Sure, it's all just a bunch of theories so far, and my Deputy and I are always suspicious but it's worth looking into, wouldn't you agree?" Bigby told her as I put on my jacket and he opened the door with a gesture to let her go first.

So, what are you two going to do?" Snow asked as she headed to the exit.

"He's going to go to Canada to investigate while we stay here and ride hard on Mayor Cole since he's a bit too happy with our new arrival and ready to grant her immediate Fable citizenship," I instructed as we left the Sheriff's office.

"She's good news and any good news is excellent for contributions," Snow stated as Bigby lit up a smoke.

"You should know by now that in all the centuries we've known Mayor Cole, it's always been about money for him," Bigby pointed out and Snow frowned at that.

"No government can function without it so you and Deputy Pierce shouldn't judge him so quickly," Snow lectured and I nodded.

"Point taken," I said as we headed down the hallway and went our separate ways.

* * *

After I had gotten some sleep with Casey, I got up early tomorrow to prepare my investigation into Red and now I was in the Business office with Snow and Bigby while he was getting ready to leave.

"While I'm gone, make sure you two keep an eye out for Riding Hood because now that she's established herself as the distressed victim of assholes like me and Blue, she'll want to milk that advantage for special attention. She'll return sometime today, probably as soon as there's a big enough crowd here to make a good show of it," Bigby instructed and I nodded while Snow still looked uncertain.

"You two are still sure that she's a spy?" Snow asked and I looked at her.

"When you think about it, her arrival seems a bit too much of a coincidence," I stated logically.

"True, but an argument can be made that the very existence of Fabletown is one extended miracle," Snow pointed out.

"The Canadian gate has been sealed for nearly two hundred years and it was closed on the other side by the Adversary's soldiers, not ours so the biggest question is who the hell opened it again.

I'm heading up there to find out so you and my Deputy have to ride hard on Red in my absence because she'll want to know about our infrastructure, how many of us there are, what our plans are for the Homelands, and resources in terms of our military strength," Bigby said while he picked up his suitcase and puffed on his smoke.

"So, we'll answer her questions as carefully as possible to not alert her that we suspect her of being a spy for the Adversary," I agreed and Bigby nodded.

"Good, and be sure not to let her sign the Fabletown Charter because we cannot afford to give her the protection of the General Amnesty," Bigby reminded us just as the door opened and my eyes widened when I saw Jack stumbling in looking badly beaten with his clothes torn while holding a bloody wooden leg.

"Bigby, Nate, we need to talk...I want to report an assault, Sheriff, Deputy," Jack wheezed in pain as I quickly headed over to him.

"Jesus, Jack, sit down before you fall," I said in disbelief as I held him to make sure he didn't fall and looked at the others.

"Snow, get the first aid kit," I instructed as I helped Jack to one of the seats next to the desk and got him to sit down while Snow rushed to her desk to get the first aid kit.

* * *

A/N I'm back everyone, so sorry it took so damn long but I had writer's block and it was a real pain to get back to this story. Anyway, I wanted to announce that I won't be putting down the location and date anymore since it has become tedious and it would be so much easier not guessing what the date is in the Fables universe.

So, let me know how you like this chapter and stay tuned.


End file.
